Fleet Van April 2012

FleetVanB E S T P R A C T I C E F O R B R I TA I N ’ S L I G H T VA N O P E R AT O R S April 2012 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan £5 where sold

ONE ACCIDENT IS ONE TOO MANY

How Bunzl reduced its incident rate

Ford Transit

FRESH NEW LOOK

AND CONTENT

THEMajor innovations and a new look for UK’s best selling van

TALKING THE LANGUAGE OF FLEETS

Francis Bleasdale on the secrets to Nissan’s rise

R E V E A L E D

NEW

Fleet News, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA. Email [email protected]

EditorialEditorStephen Briers 01733 [email protected] editor Trevor [email protected] editorSimon Harris 01733 [email protected] Charles, Linda Francis

ProductionHead of publishingSandie Hurford 01733 468312Senior art editorLuke NealProduction editorsAndrew RyanAlan Salt

AdvertisingCommercial director Sarah Crown 01733 468320Group advertisement managerSheryl Graham 01733 468256 Account managersLucy Herbert 01733 468800Heidi Rogers 01733 468269Lisa Turner 01733 468345Marcus Woods 01733 468269 Business development managerStuart Wakeling 01733 468342Project managersLeanne Patterson 01733 468332Angela Price 01733 468338Kerry Unwin 01733 468327Telesales/[email protected] 01733 468275/01733 468328

EventsEvent directorChris LesterEvent managerSandra Evitt 01733 468123Event organiserKate Howard 01733 468146

PublishingManaging directorTim Lucas 01733 468340General managerIan Richardson 01733 468555Group marketing manager Bev Mason 01733 468295 Office manager Vicky Meadows 01733 468319Group managing directorRob Munro-Hall

Printing: Headley Brothers Ltd, Kent© 2012 Bauer Media ISSN 0953-8526. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. You can purchase words or pictures for your own publications. Phone 01733 465982 or email [email protected]. Fleet News will not accept responsibility for unsolicited material. Editor cannot accept responsibility for statements by advertisers and contributors whose views do not represent those of the publisher.Member of the Audit Bureau of CirculationCopyright: Bauer Automotive

Contact us C o n t e n t s4 I Best practice: Electric vans The FTA asks its members whether electric power is the way forward for van fleets.

8 I Interview: Aiko DesignsA roof rack manufacturer set up after the collapse of MG Rover is hitting the heights.

11 I Legislation: Complying with the Corporate Manslaughter Act How to make sure your business meets the minimum legal requirements.

12 I Risk and safety: Speed limiters With a number of benefits, why are so few fleets taking advantage of speed limiters?

15 I Environment: Reducing your annual mileageBest practice learnings from the truck sector.

16 I Remarketing: Cash in at selling time Many fleets send vans to market in a sub-standard condition. Don’t be one of them.

20 I Case study: Bunzl Healthcare How the company addressed its accident rate –and made fuel savings at the same time.

24 I Industry spotlight: NissanNissan’s star is rising in the van market, with sales up 74%. Francis Bleasdale explains why.

26 I Interview: VolkswagenNew models and dedicated network send vanmaker’s sales skywards.

28 I Cover feature: New Ford Transit‘Custom’ version targets one-tonne sector and promises major innovations.

36 I Road tests Ford Ranger, Fiat Ducato, Iveco Daily Euro V, Nissan NV400.

36 I Model update What’s new in 2012, plus van running costs.

fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan April 2012 3

Are electric vans the way forward?B e n c h m a r k i n g E l e c t r i c v a n s

4 April 2012 fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

In a new regular feature, the FTA surveys its van fleet members on a hot topic

Hardly a month goes by without news of a new electric offering from van manufac-turers. Electric vans

(EVs) are often touted as the way forward for operators looking to boost their green credentials but what is the experience of the early adopters and what’s holding back others from taking the plunge?

A recent survey conducted by FTA’s Van Excellence programme showed that many van operators are adopting a ‘wait and see’ policy with almost 70% either having not yet adopted the technology or stating they are unlikely to do so within the next 12 months or so.

So what lessons can be learned from the early adopters?The aims of the early adopters are laudable; their keenness to lead from the front and benefit from the potential environmental and cost benefits of EVs should be recog-nised but what messages will these pioneers pass on to others considering putting electric vans on the road.

First the plus points: the reduced operational costs, ease of mainte-nance, minimal noise pollution and undoubted ‘in use’ CO2 benefits are massive attractions as is the positive PR message, particularly if the electricity used to charge is sourced from ‘green’ providers.

But the reality of the day-to-day use isn’t quite as rosy. The down-sides lead to early adopters recommending a cautious and well-researched approach to other users.

We asked operators to score how well their vehicles had met expectations. Their response was decidedly average with only around a third declaring they’d met or come close to meeting their expectations.

What were the issues?The significant up-front and wholelife costs cannot be ignored and neither can the limitations on range. Rory Morgan, of Iron Moun-tain, advices potential users “to be absolutely sure of the route they want to use the vehicle on”.

“Is the vehicles’ range sufficient

in real life operations when loaded with other demands on the batteries such as lights, wipers, heaters etc? Can they justify the costs; the vast majority of EV are hugely expensive compared to their diesel equivalents. Are there other options?”

Best practice suggests inter-ested operators conduct trials in as close to ‘real life’ conditions as possible.

These trials should range across as many variants of operation as possible, including range on single charge, with different types of charging points and voltage/phase requirement, different payloads and with different drivers in varying weather and traffic conditions.

If the EV is being considered for use in a specific environment or on a particular route then it goes without saying it should be tested in that role.

The importance of robust trials was underlined by Vince Dignam, transport manager at the Corpo-ration of London, but even so the longer-term reliability of vehicles was questioned.

Dignam noted that vehicle off- road time can be excessive, with the ability of repairers to work with new technology and disputes around responsibility for faults cited as reasons.

Other respondents identified issues with older EVs where the original providers had ceased trading.

What other tips would they give potential users?The competence and attitude of drivers, as you’d suspect, is seen as being an important factor in the successful use of EVs.

The allocation and training of specific drivers is to be recom-mended. Rory Morgan again: “There is a particular style of driving with an EV compared to a standard fuelled vehicle. Training is essential to ensure the driver gets the best possible results and charge life from the vehicle.”

This view was supported by

W elcome to your new-look Fleet Van. We’ve made a few changes that I hope will make this publication of even greater use to you in the running of your van fleet.

We’ve removed the news content, which you can now find on the all-new Fleet Van website – www.fleetnews.co.uk/fleet-van/ – and are instead putting the emphasis on insight and analysis of the key topics facing your businesses today.

New regular sections include monthly insights into remarketing, safety, legislation and the environment, while every issue will contain an in-depth fleet case study analysing a key area of operation – in this issue Bunzl reveals how it has managed to reduce accidents in its healthcare business.

Ever since the first issue of Fleet Van in 2002, we have strived to provide van fleet operators with the information, guidance and advice they need to boost their effectiveness. We also provide an environment for fleet van managers to share best practice, engage and learn.

Of course, we also have our parent brand Fleet News, which provides best practice advice about company cars and vans. So how does Fleet Van fit in?

Fleet News provides the macro content on vans; Fleet Van provides micro content. While Fleet News has the headline information required by people running mixed fleets, operators that only run van fleets will need the greater depth of insight and analysis offered by Fleet Van. It’s also the place to find out everything you need to know about the latest vans in our reviews section.

My thanks to associate editor Trevor Gelken for his passion, enthusiasm and dedication in making the relaunch of Fleet Van such a success. Trevor is well known to many of you and he will continue to play a core part in the future development of Fleet Van.

We hope you enjoy this first issue. Please let me know your thoughts about the changes we have made by emailing me at [email protected] including any ideas for features you would like to see. n Exciting news: we’ve set the date and location for the 2012 Fleet Van Summit. We will be returning to Millbrook Proving Ground after excellent feedback from the event last year. Put September 18 into your diaries and look out for further information about content and speakers in Fleet Van over the coming months.

Stephen Briers, editor, Fleet Van

Editor’s column

“Van-only operators need the greater depth of insight and analysis in Fleet Van”

other users, particularly with the first few vehicles taken on.

The other big tip was to allocate the vehicles to specific roles where the operator is confident the vehicle is within its operational abilities.

Our contact at a major facilities management provider commented: “One EV is being used for park maintenance in the Midlands which fits with the range of the vehicle. It would be impractical to use on works such as reactive repair and maintenance as they could be trav-

elling hundreds of miles a day so the charge would not be sufficient.

“We have a more extensive fleet used in a London Borough – they are caged vehi-cles which are used to

collect waste items from house-holds in the area. Again, these are planned routes so the distances are known prior to the vehicle commencing operation.”

What did non-users feel about using electric vans?Worries about operational range topped the list of concerns, with almost 75% of respondents citing this as a barrier. As you’d expect, the upfront cost of vehicles continues to be a disincentive to adopt electric vans although the recent extension of the plug-in grant, along with ever-increasing diesel costs, is likely to make adoption more attractive.

Other issues identified included worries about the availability of a robust charging infrastructure and, interestingly, the loss of payload making it difficult for operators to keep below the 3.5t operator licence threshold, an issue already identi-fied by Van Excellence operators.

But is it all gloom? Probably not; of the operators already running electric vans, there is clear evidence that, used correctly, EVs can have a role to play in the right role. Particularly among the larger fleets, almost all the existing users expected to increase their use in the next year and some 15% of non-users expected to have joined the electric van club during the same period.

Are electric vans the future?Electric vans potentially provide significant environmental benefits in appropriate operating environment. Low-mileage urban operations, with vans returning to a specific location (equipped with charging facilities) clearly lend themselves to the use of such vehicles.

Makers need to build operators’ confidence in the technology and work with the remarketers to address uncertainty of residual values.

‘Training is essential to ensure the driver gets

the best possible results and charge life

from the vehicle’Rory Morgan, Iron Mountain

Range concernsThis was the biggest concern identified by the FTA survey. Sixty per cent of respondents said

anxiety of vehicle range was stopping them from investing in electric vans. With range currently limited to around 100 miles, these vehicles are only fit for certain purposes.

Cost of ownershipIdentified as an issue by 51% of respondents, the high upfront costs of buying electric vans is a

major sticking point for fleets. Renault’s model of leasing vehicle and battery separately might offer a solution.

Load capacityTwo concerns here. First, battery weight which tips vehicles above the 3.5-tonne limit and also

reduces overall capacity; second, the impact of a full load on battery charge. Half of fleets said load capacity was an issue.

Charging infrastructureDespite investment by public and private sectors into charging points, 44% said it was still a worry.

Reliability uncertainty; residual value uncertaintyReliability concerns are stopping a quarter of fleets (perhaps caused by issues with early conversions

rather than the latest EVs); 21% are put off by RV fears.

The main EV concerns for fleets

70%Have either not yet

adopted the technology or say they are unlikely to do

so within the next 12 months or so


Are electric vans the way forward?B e n c h m a r k i n g b y t h e F T A E l e c t r i c v a n s


In a new regular feature, the FTA surveys its van fleet members on a hot topic

Hardly a month goes by without news of a new electric offering from van manufac-turers. Electric vans

(EVs) are often touted as the way forward for operators looking to boost their green credentials but what is the experience of the early adopters and what’s holding back others from taking the plunge?

A recent survey conducted by FTA’s Van Excellence programme showed that many van operators are adopting a ‘wait and see’ policy with almost 70% either having not yet adopted the technology or stating they are unlikely to do so within the next 12 months or so.

So what lessons can be learned from the early adopters?The aims of the early adopters are laudable; their keenness to lead from the front and benefit from the potential environmental and cost benefits of EVs should be recog-nised but what messages will these pioneers pass on to others considering putting electric vans on the road?

First the plus points: the reduced operational costs, ease of mainte-nance, minimal noise pollution and undoubted ‘in use’ CO2 benefits are massive attractions as is the positive PR message, particularly if the electricity used to charge is sourced from ‘green’ providers.

But the reality of the day-to-day use isn’t quite as rosy. The down-sides lead to early adopters recommending a cautious and well-researched approach to other users.

We asked operators to score how well their vehicles had met expectations. Their response was decidedly average with only around a third declaring they’d met or come close to meeting their expectations.

What were the issues?The significant up-front and wholelife costs cannot be ignored and neither can the limitations on range. Rory Morgan, of Iron Moun-tain, advices potential users “to be absolutely sure of the route they want to use the vehicle on”.

“Is the vehicles’ range sufficient

in real life operations when loaded with other demands on the batteries such as lights, wipers, heaters, etc? Can they justify the costs; the vast majority of EV are hugely expensive compared to their diesel equivalents. Are there other options?”

Best practice suggests inter-ested operators conduct trials in as close to ‘real life’ conditions as possible.

These trials should range across as many variants of operation as possible, including range on single charge, with different types of charging points and voltage/phase requirement, different payloads and with different drivers in varying weather and traffic conditions.

If the EV is being considered for use in a specific environment or on a particular route then obviously it should be tested in that role.

The importance of robust trials was underlined by Vince Dignam, transport manager at the Corpo-ration of London, but even so the longer-term reliability of vehicles was questioned.

Dignam noted that vehicle off- road time can be excessive, with the ability of repairers to work with new technology and disputes around responsibility for faults cited as reasons.

Other respondents identified issues with older EVs where the original providers had ceased trading.

What other tips would they give potential users?The competence and attitude of drivers, as you’d suspect, is seen as being an important factor in the successful use of EVs.

The allocation and training of specific drivers is to be recom-mended. Rory Morgan again: “There is a particular style of driving with an EV compared to a standard fuelled vehicle. Training is essential to ensure the driver gets the best possible results and charge life from the vehicle.”

This view was supported by other users, particularly with the

first few vehicles taken on.The other big tip was to allocate

the vehicles to specific roles where the operator is confident the vehicle is within its operational abilities.

A manager at a major facilities management provider commented: “One EV is being used for park maintenance in the Midlands which fits with the range of the vehicle. It would be impractical to use on works such as reactive repair and maintenance as they could be trav-elling hundreds of miles a day so the

charge would not be sufficient.

“We have a more extensive fleet used in a London Borough – they are caged vehi-cles which are used to collect waste items from households in

the area. Again, these are planned routes so the distances are known prior to the vehicle commencing operation.”

What did non-users feel about using electric vans?Worries about operational range topped the list of concerns, with 60% of respondents citing this as a barrier.

As you’d expect, the upfront cost of vehicles continues to be a disin-centive to adopt electric vans although the recent extension of the plug-in grant, along with ever-increasing diesel costs, is likely to make adoption more attractive.

Other issues identified included worries about the availability of a robust charging infrastructure and, interestingly, the loss of payload making it difficult for operators to keep below the 3.5t operator licence threshold, an issue already identi-fied by Van Excellence operators.

But is it all gloom? Probably not; of the operators already running electric vans, there is clear evidence that, used correctly, EVs can have a role to play in the right role. Particularly among the larger fleets, almost all the existing users expected to increase their use in the next year and some 15% of non-users expected to have joined the electric van club during the same period.

Are electric vans the future?Electric vans potentially provide significant environmental benefits in appropriate operating environment.

Low-mileage urban operations, with vans returning to a specific location (equipped with charging facilities) clearly lend themselves to the use of such vehicles.

Makers need to build operators’ confidence in the technology and work with the remarketers to address uncertainty of residual values.

70%Have either not yet

adopted the technology or say they are unlikely to do

so within the next 12 months or so

Are electric vans the way forward?

W elcome to your new-look Fleet Van. We’ve made a few changes that I hope will make this publication of even greater use to you in the running of your van fleet.

We’ve removed the news content, which you can now find on the all-new Fleet Van website – www.fleetnews.co.uk/fleet-van/ – and are instead putting the emphasis on insight and analysis of the key topics facing your businesses today.

New regular sections include monthly insights into remarketing, safety, legislation and the environment, while every issue will contain an in-depth fleet case study analysing a key area of operation – in this issue Bunzl reveals how it has managed to reduce accidents in its healthcare business.

Ever since the first issue of Fleet Van in 2002, we have strived to provide van fleet operators with the information, guidance and advice they need to boost their effectiveness. We also provide an environment for fleet van managers to share best practice, engage and learn.

Of course, we also have our parent brand Fleet News, which provides best practice advice about company cars and vans. So how does Fleet Van fit in?

Fleet News provides the macro content on vans; Fleet Van provides micro content. While Fleet News has the headline information required by people running mixed fleets, operators that only run van fleets will need the greater depth of insight and analysis offered by Fleet Van. It’s also the place to find out everything you need to know about the latest vans in our reviews section.

My thanks to associate editor Trevor Gelken for his passion, enthusiasm and dedication in making the relaunch of Fleet Van such a success. Trevor is well known to many of you and he will continue to play a core part in the future development of Fleet Van.

We hope you enjoy this first issue. Please let me know your thoughts about the changes we have made by emailing me at [email protected] including any ideas for features you would like to see. n Exciting news: we’ve set the date and location for the 2012 Fleet Van Summit. We will be returning to Millbrook Proving Ground after excellent feedback from the event last year. Put September 18 into your diaries and look out for further information about content and speakers in Fleet Van over the coming months.

Stephen Briers, editor, Fleet Van

EDITOR’S COLUMN

“Van-only operators need the greater depth of insight and analysis in Fleet Van”

‘Training is essential to ensure the driver gets

the best possible results and charge life

from the vehicle’Rory Morgan, Iron Mountain

Range concernsThis was the biggest concern identified by the FTA survey. Sixty per cent of respondents said

anxiety of vehicle range was stopping them from investing in electric vans. With range currently limited to around 100 miles, these vehicles are only fit for certain purposes.

Cost of ownershipIdentified as an issue by 51% of respondents, the high upfront costs of buying electric vans is a

major sticking point for fleets. Renault’s model of leasing vehicle and battery separately might offer a solution.

Load capacityTwo concerns here. First, battery weight which tips vehicles above the 3.5-tonne limit and also

reduces overall capacity; second, the impact of a full load on battery charge. Half of fleets said load capacity was an issue.

Charging infrastructureDespite investment by public and private sectors into charging points, 44% said it was still a worry.

Reliability uncertainty; residual value uncertaintyReliability concerns are stopping a quarter of fleets (perhaps caused by issues with early conversions

rather than the latest EVs); 21% are put off by RV fears.

The main EV concerns for fleets


Business success out of MG Rover redundancies

I n t e r v i e w A i k o d e s i g n s


After being made redundant following the closure of the manufacturer, a group of engineers have built a successful business making quality roof racks

Aiko name has Hawaiian originsThe name Aiko Design was dreamed up in an unusual way. A friend of Bill Smith’s became friendly with a Hawaiian girl called Aiko. She stayed at Smith’s house when she visited the UK while he was pondering on what name to call his new enterprise.

He said: “She was sitting at the table opposite me and I suddenly though ‘Aiko, that’s a nice name’. It just stuck after that. I think she was quite pleased about it.”

Bill Smith: taking Aiko Designs to a new level

By Trevor Gelken

Faced with redundancy after the collapse of MG Rover in 2005, a group of British engineers have built a new business on

Tyneside which caters for a small but important part of the industry.

The six men were employed by Lockshield making security devices for MG Rover’s cars. But when the carmaker collapsed, they contacted a few big fleet hitters to see if there was anything they could turn their hand to.

Managing director Bill Smith says: “We contacted Northgate Vehicle Hire and it turned out that they were looking for a few hundred roof racks. Within a month, we had designed, built and sold our first product.”

Aiko Design was born. Since then, the company has been growing organically as van fleet operators get

to hear about a British product that carries a lifetime guarantee and which the makers boast “can be put together using one hand”.

Smith initially took a back seat at the firm and “retired” after selling his interests in Lockshield but is now back to help Aiko make a major push for fleet business.

A new website – aiko-design.co.uk – has been set up in which buyers can build their own products and order them online and Smith is now in talks with major fleet buyers and van dealers across the country in a bid to increase sales.

He says: “I sold my interest in Lockshield after running the firm for 15 hard years and it was my intention to retire on the money I made.

“But when MG Rover went out of business I wanted to make sure the men I employed had secure jobs so we launched Aiko Design. It was my

intention to sit back and relax but I found I couldn’t. I am passionate about business and was just itching to get back to work.”

In a move that would shame the fat cats of the banking world, Smith does not take a salary but works for the love of his job. He said: “I made enough money to retire on but didn’t want to spend the rest of my life relaxing!”

One thing Smith does insist on is that all products are built to the highest quality standards.

“You can buy any number of roof racks for vans,” he says, “but a lot of them aren’t very good quality and I’d warn any potential buyers to look out for this as cheap roof racks can be dangerous.

“A lot of them say ‘heavy duty’ but this is a meaningless phrase. Some of them are so weak you could bend them over your knee. Our products

cost the same as the cheaper ones but are the best quality you can get and are guaranteed for life – and we mean life.”

So how does Aiko manage to survive with this business strategy? The answer lies in Smith’s canny business sense. He says: “We can sell our roof racks at reasonable prices because we don’t have any debt and we have low running costs. For example, all our premises are bought and paid for.”

The company now employs 10 people and has agents who sell roof racks to dealers, who can then fit them on a customer’s behalf.

Smith add: “Some roof racks come with a million different nuts and bolts but the number of parts on our racks is kept to a minimum. Everything is welded for strength and you can fit them with one hand – although two will be easier.”

Truckers lead the wayE n v i r o n m e n t M i l e a g e r e d u c t i o n


By Trevor Gelken

For a lesson in improving environmental creden-tials, Britain’s van fleet operators could do worse than turning

to their counterparts in the heavy truck world.

Recently, hauliers in the UK’s food distribution sector announced that they had reduced journey times by two million miles’ worth in the past five years by a series of innovative solutions.

Not only did this prevent tonnes of CO2 being pumped into the atmos-phere, it also saved them huge amounts of cash through using less fuel. At today’s fuel prices, they saved a total of £1,294,000.

The announcement came from IGD, a charity group made up of big hitters in the food industry.

Among the initiatives undertaken are sharing vehicles, even with competitors, to avoid empty trucks on return journeys, using the latest telematics technology to monitor traffic and re-route where neces-sary, changing the site of depots and exploring alternative means of transport, such as greater use of railways.

IGD has also published a number of best practice guides, together with a series of case studies and a cost calculator so that fleets can capture and record their savings.

Joanne Denney-Finch, chief exec-utive, IGD, said: “Food and grocery companies are some of the largest users of road transport, responsible for one in four of all HGV miles trav-elled in the UK. The industry recog-nises its responsibility to manage its impact on the environment.

This commitment includes indi-vidual and group initiatives to reduce the fuel used, miles travelled and ultimately the number of vehicles on the UK’s roads.

But while a notable milestone, the industry’s commitment to transport sustainability doesn’t stop here. IGD continues to bring a wide range of food companies together to offer to discuss ways in which they can co-operate further.

In addition, more than 200 trans-port opportunities have been identified since last September and many of the organisations have

already started working together as a result.”

Companies that have taken part in the initiative include Asda, British Sugar, Coca-Cola, Heinz, Iceland Foods, Proctor & Gamble, Waitrose, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons.

The idea of sharing vehicles with direct competitors may seem a bizarre one but, by setting aside business differences, those taking part in this scheme have seen huge savings in fuel costs.

Richard Jones, IGD senior supply chain analyst, said: “Our work is a compelling example of how working together can really help deliver benefits to both consumers and the environment.

“Even if you run a fleet of vans, you can still review your own organisa-tion to improve how your supply chains work. “

How to help save the planet – and thousands of pounds of fuel at the same time

Case studies will help fleets

“Working together can help deliver benefits to the environment”

There are plenty of examples of best practice and many case studies available for free on the IGD website. Food and grocery companies have worked together to produce practical guides to help iden-tify and implement techniques to improve the supply chain.

n To view the case studies, log on to: http://www.igd.com/ecr-sustainabledistributionn For information on transport collaboration, visit: http://www.igd.com/index.asp?id=1&fid=1&sid=3&tid=53&cid=562

Van fleets can learn from the heavy truck sector

Speed limitersWhy are so few fleets taking advantage of speed limiters? Trevor Gelken looks at the implications for cost and safety

By Linda FrancisAnyone who tries driving a van fitted with a speed limiter for the first time is guaranteed to go through three phases: frustration, experimentation and finally acceptance.

Frustration arrives pretty smartish when you first realise

that, with the limiter set at 56mph, you can’t simply floor the accelerator and reach your normal speed. This phase is usually accompanied by a stream of expletives best not to mention!

The experimentation phase soon follows, in which the driver tries all kind of little tricks to squeeze an

extra mile per hour out of the van – a futile operation, I can assure you. It is after this that the acceptance gradually arrives – and it really is a kind of buddhist satori as you sit back, relax a little and actually enjoy the experience of driving for a change.

After just 50 miles or so I began

to see the sense in speed limiters. They’ll save a lot of money in

wasted fuel and on our little sojourn here, there wasn’t an awful lot of difference in the time it took to get from Peterborough to Southend on the motorway.

Several times I saw large panel vans thrash past me at high

Frustration, experimentation and then the sheer joy of driving

R i s k a n d s a f e t y S p e e d l i m i t e r s

Behind the wheel


Hands up everyone who has seen a 3.5-tonne panel van thrashing down the outside lane of a motorway at 90mph in the past month.

Let’s see, one... two... oh, that’s all of you!It’s a problem that has existed as long as vans have

been capable of such speeds and is one that any law-abiding, cost-conscious fleet operator would want to

stamp out. The problems and dangers are obvious. For starters that

van is likely to have your logo emblazoned on the side, which will immediately put your company on a negative footing in

the eyes of any member of the public who sees it.It’s illegal and dangerous too, so your drivers are likely either

to end up with no licences or injuring themselves and others on the roads. In addition to the obvious safety issues, this will also

cost your business money.Ah yes, the cost. At 80mph a van uses 20% more fuel than at

70mph. That means that if your van does 1,000 miles in a week and uses fuel at 30 miles per gallon, you are wasting £1,561 per year per

vehicle. Add to that higher maintenance bills from all the mis-use; these foot-heavy drivers are a serious drain to company profits.With facts like this you’d imagine that every fleet van on the roads would

have some kind of device fitted to prevent unnecessary speeding – after all, there are plenty of them about. However, according to alarm and speed limiter manufacturer Cobra, less than 5% do.

A good telematics system will alert fleet managers to any serious cases of yahoo-ery on the roads when they aren’t looking but, increasingly, suppliers are suggesting that these systems should be used in conjunction with a speed limiter, which will cut out any cases of motorway speeding at the drop of a hat.

One of the reasons we suspect that more limiters aren’t fitted is the problem of driver (and, therefore, union) objection. Here, companies often tread carefully in fear of how frustrated staff might treat their vans.

But this view is at variance with that of Mark Cartwright, project manager at the Freight Transport Association, who says: “Give a driver a van with a speed limiter and after a couple of months I guarantee he’ll say he prefers it. He’ll realise that journey times are the same – you don’t get there any quicker by driving too fast – and that there are major fuel savings to be gained.”

And ultimately, it is the company’s van being driving for work purposes. It’s up to you what safety and cost-related equipment you install.

The challengeIt’s all very well to talk about savings and safety: how do speed limiters perform in real life? Fleet Van decided to find out.

We ordered a Volkswagen Transporter Sportline, had a Cobra 56mph speed limiter fitted, drove on a 260-mile test route, had the limiter removed and did the trip again, to see for ourselves – and for the benefit of our readers – if the aforementioned theories are true.

The Sportline is perfect for this experiment – the clue is in the name. With 180bhp under its bonnet, this van flies like the wind and begs the driver to floor the throttle and have fun. Could your staff be tempted to break the speed limit in one?

The Cobra technician fitted the speed limiter in less than an hour. The unit is no bigger than an iPhone and can be set at whatever speed is required. There is no cutting into wiring systems and everything is tucked away under the dash where the driver can’t tamper with it.

The Fleet Van verdict

Admittedly governing a panel van down to 56mph is an extreme thing to do, but the fuel savings shown here prove beyond doubt that every fleet operator should be assessing whether or not speed limiters should be fitted to their vans.

The fact that the two testers here both enjoyed the experience after a short while should put paid to any fears about driver acceptance.

Our advice would be to start

with a 70mph limit on all vans.If this doesn’t produce the

fuel savings and safety improvements you expect, then try knocking them down bit by bit until your goals are achieved. Once they are fitted, it’s a simple matter to change the speed.

Journeys will take a little longer admittedly but often this problem can be overcome by looking at your journeys and re-arranging them in a smarter order.

‘A move you should consider’

Miles travelled Fuel used (litres) MPGWith limiter 260 26.93 43.91With limiter removed 260 36.98 32.01

speeds, only to be caught behind an overtaking lorry further ahead on that annoying two-lane stretch of the M11.

I then caught them up and smiled serenely in my new-found behind-the-wheel heaven while they gnashed their teeth and grunted in frustration at being held up.

Why did we choose 56mph? We’d already tested a van with a 60mph speed limiter and had found it

frustrating in the extreme when trying to overtake the trucks which were all doing 56mph on two-lane dual carriageways.

The result was a stream of angry car drivers behind us itching to get past. Emabarrassing, especially for a female driver.

As it was I simply sat back, tucked in behind a 40-tonner, put on a favourite CD and enjoyed the experience of moving sedately from

A to B. The most bizarre experience of all came when the limiter was removed and our Sportline revealed itself again in all its glory.

It felt like a sports car in comparison and I really had to keep myself in check as time and time again I noticed my speed had accidentally crept up.

I almost longed for my speed limiter back again – but maybe set at 70mph instead of 56mph.

While many fleets opt to set a 70mph limit (some even choose 80mph, claiming it allows drivers breathing space to overtake), those whose vans do more urban mileage often choose a lower limit, sometimes as low as 56mph. We opted for 56mph to see just how the savings ratchet up compared to travelling at (not over) the motorway speed limit.

The routeThen it was off on two laps of the parkway circuit round our home city of Peterborough followed by a few round-town miles and then a 110-mile haul down the A1M, A14, on to the M11, M25 and finally the A127 to Southend – and back again.

This route gave us an ideal mix of urban, semi-urban and motorway and, with two drivers, we split the journey.

Then the limiter was removed and we did the same trip, only at normal motorway speeds. A glance at the comparison table below reveals the truth. With the speed limiter on, we achieved 43.91mpg – an amazing feat in itself as this van has an official combined mpg figure of 36.2mpg – but with no speed limiter and driving normally, the figure plummeted to just 32.01mpg.

Roughly translated, this means we used 37% more fuel without the speed limiter – which cost an extra £14.07 on this trip alone.

On the time front, the long haul from Peterborough to Southend took a mere 20 minutes extra (two hours 20mins, compared to two hours) with the speed limiter fitted – equivalent to a 17% increase.

For fleets concerned about packing in daily deliveries, this might be too much; but from a fuel saving perspective, the figures speak for themselves.

The results

Linda Francis gets to grips with the Cobra speed limiter


Keep your fleet legalL e g i s l a t i o n C o r p o r a t e M a n s l a u g h t e r A c t


By John Charles

The Corporate Man-slaughter Act was passed in 2007 after 10 years of campaigning by safety groups to

make it easier to tackle companies when the failures of senior management lead to a death.

It doesn’t relate specifically to the transport sector but LCV opera-tions certainly come within its scope and although no fleet oper-ators have yet ended up before the courts, this does not mean they can rest easy.

The Act builds on existing duty of care legislation and aims to complement it rather than add to it. But unlike other health and safety laws, a charge under this Act is meant to be a serious one, reserved for the very worst cases, which explains why it has so far only been used once (see panel).

Under the Act, a company commits an offence if the way in which its activities are managed causes a person’s death and amounts to a gross breach of the relevant duty of care owed by the organisation to the dead person.

So what exactly is the van fleet operator’s duty of care? This can

be a moot point, but a person charged with this offence will have to show that they took trouble to ensure drivers were safe both on firms’ premises and on the road.

Each case, of course, will be different and taken on its merits, but a jury will be directed by a judge to consider whether the organisation failed to comply with any health and safety regulation that relates to the alleged breach and how serious the extent of that failing was.

Health and safety at work is a wide subject. It covers areas such as loading and unloading at the employer’s premises and also safety on the roads.

Firstly employers should check that their drivers actually have valid licences – a simple task but one that some fleets don’t carry out. Then the vehicles themselves must be maintained to safe stand-ards, with tyres, oil and water checked regularly.

While this might seem simple, it is nevertheless an area where many fleets are lacking, especially when drivers are not responsible for a single vehicle.

A driver’s handbook is also an essential item. By providing this,

an employer can set out clearly the way he or she expects drivers to behave. This can cover such items as smoking in the cab, use of hand-hand held mobile phones and eating lunch while on the move – all practices which should be banned.

Driver training is a subject which should be considered too as a fleet operator who has offered this facility will be less likely to be found guilty under the Act than one which hasn’t.

If a company is charged under the Act it is the senior manage-ment who will face the court.

Senior management is defined as the people who play significant roles in the making of decisions about how the company is managed.

This clearly involves those at board level but may also included managers who are involved at a more hands-on level if they manage a substantial part of the business.

If found guilty, a company can face an unlimited fine. However, the Sentencing Advisory Council recommends a figure of between 2.5% and 10% of average annual turnover.

Do you meet all of the requirements under the Corporate Manslaughter Act?

One company is guilty so farCotswold Geotechnical Holdings became the first firm convicted under the Act at Winchester Crown Court in 2011 and was fined £385,000.

Although the case is not related specifically to van fleets, the principles under which the judgement was reached are relevant.

Geologist Alexander Wright, 27, from Cheltenham, died in September 2008 when a pit he was working in collapsed.

He was taking soil samples for a housing development in the 12.6ft (3.8m) pit in Brimscombe Lane, near Stroud, which was not supported by timbers, when it caved in.

The jury at Winchester Crown Court found the company guilty of failing to ensure his safety.


R e m a r k e t i n g M a x i m i s i n g R V s

By Trevor Gelkent stands to reason that all van fleet operators want to get the maximum price for their vehicles when selling them. And it’s pretty obvious that the way to do this is

to present those vehicles in as clean and orderly a fashion as possible, so that buyers will bid for them ahead of dirtier more damaged examples.

But it is amazing how many sellers send their vans to auction damaged, without the correct paperwork and sometimes even with rubbish still on board.

With profit margins for many companies wafer-thin, there has never been a more important time to save every penny possible so this lax attitude to residual values amazes the auction experts, espe-cially as there is plenty of help and advice on offer from the major players.

Duncan Ward, BCA’s general manager, commercial vehicles, says: “We are seeing increasing instances where waste such as batteries, concrete, building rubble, rubber tyres and wood are left in vehicles. The costs of disposals can range from £75 for a small load to upwards of £250 for large loads.

“For hazardous waste the costs can escalate again as they have to be handled and disposed of according to strict health and safety guidelines.

“Vendors focus very closely on the performance in the remarketing

arena, but by sending vehicles full of waste and in effectively unsaleable condition, some are incurring spiral-ling waste disposal costs and delays that could be avoided.

“It is vital for owners and operators to make sure these costs are mini-mised and to keep up to date with this legislation.”

At Manheim Remarketing, staff have to clear the equivalent of 10 Olympic-sized swimming pools of rubbish from vans they sell every year.

Items left in vans include food waste, brochures and papers, building materials, protective clothing and trade waste.

James Davis, director of commercial vehi-cles at Manheim, says: “The issue of rubbish removal is serious and one that Manheim is particularly keen to draw attention to in order to drive up standards in our industry.

“Against our advice there are still vendors who instruct us to sell unprepared vehicles full of rubbish. Ultimately, someone has to pay to remove it. This should surely fall to the operator or individual who left it

there in the first place. “Traders benchmark a vendor’s

stock against that of others. They are attracted to those vehicles that require the least work to sell on and expect vehicles to be prepared to an industry standard. Failure to take action could, in extreme cases, cost vendors and their reputations dearly.

“Consider the sale of a vehicle containing a discarded corpo-rate branded uniform. If this were to fall into the wrong hands the outcome could be very serious.”

But there’s more to successful remarketing than simply making sure vans are clean before being sold.

The problem with commercial vehicles is that by their very nature, they tend to be used and abused

during their working lives, so damage is inevitable and to a certain extent will be accepted by trade buyers.

So a florist who has been using vehicles for delivering bunches of flowers will expect to obtain better sale prices than, say, a builder who has been chucking bricks and

concrete in the back end of his vehi-cles for three years.

But, according to Guy Pearce, sales director at the Fleet Auction Group, the secret of successful remarketing begins when fleet operators actually buy their vehi-cles.

He says: “Commercial vehicles, like cars, have re-saleability issues that can be affected as early as the procurement stage: decisions made at the outset on vehicle specification can have a big impact at re-sale.

“Colour definitely has an effect. Strange hues can be very detri-mental to value, but silver or metallic blue often add interest at auction by providing alternatives to the normal expectation of white.

“There are a number of key optional extras that will improve the resale value of LCVs: side loading doors are a necessity, air condi-tioning is still much rarer than it should be and satellite navigation is now attracting a premium on a used van.

“There is a marked second-user demand for vehicles with these types of items fitted as original equipment.

“With regard to tippers or drop-side variants, a rolled aluminium body is preferable to a steel unit. While a steel body is significantly more robust, an aluminium body retains the edge from a presentation point of

Cash in at selling timeToo many van fleet operators are losing money by sending their vehicles to market in a less-than-satisfactory condition. Is YOUR fleet one of them?

“There are a number of

key optional extras that

will improve values”

£250Cost per vehicle of removing

unwanted rubish

I

Europe’s No.1 vehicle remarketing companylog on to www.british-car-auctions.co.uk or call 0844 875 3480

Used van values fall in March

Advertisement feature

But fleet & lease sector sees rise as demand for good stock continues

Used LCV values fell by £45 across the board in March to £4,227 according to BCA’s latest figures, a 1.0% drop from the February figure and 5.7%

behind the 20-month high recorded in January. BCA’s Pulse data shows average values fell for the dealer part-exchange and nearly-new vans, but rose in the fleet/lease sector.

Additional activity in the fleet and dealer

sectors with the new registration plate meant stock levels rose quite sharply in the wholesale markets and sold volumes rose at BCA by nearly 10% in March compared to February.

Conversion ratesThis also impacted on conversion rates which fell back from the high 80% and 90% figures seen earlier in the year.

The March average figure of £4,227 was

the lowest recorded since August 2011, yet despite this, performance against Guide Prices improved by half a point to 98.9%.

Year-on-year, March 2012 was £47 ahead of the same month in 2011, equivalent to a 1.1% improvement – despite the average age and mileage rising by seven months and over 6,000 miles in the same period.

Duncan Ward, BCA’s general manager – commercial vehicles, commented: “While overall values declined for the second month running, fleet & lease values actually improved, which underlines the desirability of one-owner professionally managed vans in the used marketplace.

“The fleet & lease sector has seen generally higher values since September last year and there is little sign of demand easing for good quality LCVs.”

Ward added: “However, looking ahead, we expect volumes to rise in the short-term as corporate de-fleets filter through and this must have an effect in a supply and demand marketplace.”

He continued: “With the summer months ahead – typically quieter if previous years are to be believed – there could be some pressure on conversions and values ahead.”

£5,000

£4,000

£3,000

£2,000

Mar

Apl

May Ju

n Jul

Aug Se

p

Oct

Nov

Dec Jan

Feb

Mar

Apl

May Ju

n Jul

Aug Se

p

Oct

Nov

Dec Jan

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Mar

Average used values 2010-2011

BCA boosts Measham’s commercial salesReflecting the continuing growth of commercial vehicle business at BCA, the company has doubled the sales capacity at the Measham Commercial Remarketing centre with the opening of a second auction hall.

BCA has also improved the existing commercial facilities with a new undercover drive-through canopy.

The new purpose-built facility includes a large undercover auction hall and rostrum with full Live Online and e-Auction capability, back office and vendor hospitality facilities.

Sales run in tandem, which means Measham now has the capacity to offer over 500 light commercials through two lanes every sale day.

The official opening sale took place on Tuesday March 27 and offered almost 400 vehicles, and featured stock from a number of a large contract hire, fleet and dealer groups including Lex Autolease, Alphabet, Lombard and Ford Retail.

A strong turnout of buyers and plenty of

Live Online activity saw over 80% of the entry sold for 100% of CAP.

Alongside the weekly LCV sales, Measham will continue to stage fortnightly heavy commercial sales on every second Thursday and specialist monthly plant & equipment and farm & agricultural sales.

Source: BCA

view and will attract an uplift in used vehicle value.”

Most of the big auction companies now offer a service in which experts will inspect each vehicle and gauge whether or not cost-effective repairs should be carried out. After all it’s no good spending £500 tarting your vehicle up only to see it go under the hammer for £200 more than it would have done in its original condition.

Pearce says: “Major cosmetic damage that might raise questions about the overall integrity of the vehicle should almost certainly be undertaken every time. However in the current market, the severe shortages in LCV availability gener-ally means that, even with some damage, vehicles are being sold for strong prices.

“Dealers and traders who buy these units are very adept in ‘adding value’ prior to resale with strategic repairs, so take the advice of the remarketing company as to potential return on refurbishment investment.

“Evidence of ghosting from previous sign writing should also be properly removed, by machine polishing or painting, to facilitate a new ‘brand’ image for the next owner.

“Removal of other characteristics of initial user identification, such as racking or exterior equipment, may also be worth considering in order to bring the vehicle back into an unspe-cialised standard LCV condition and to appeal to a wider resale market.”

Regarding refurbishment, BCA’s Duncan Ward says: “Fleets should look at every tool in the remarketing box and refurbishment can deliver a great deal of added value to the right vehicles. Remembering that LCVs are working tools, and some damage is acceptable, sellers should look at their vans critically when making a decision on refur-bishment. If a van does not have a straight panel on it, the cost versus return is likely to be prohibitive.

“If there are only localised minor scuffs and dents, then SMART paint and metal repairs could be consid-ered. An end of life inspection carried out by your remarketing partner would be a vital aid to making these decisions.

“Even if refurbishment is not required, pre-sale preparation and trade name deletion certainly is, with the latter done to a high standard to leave a clean panel for the new owner to brand appropri-ately. There are also safety and security issues that trade name deletion addresses.”

For the light commercial vehicle trade, 2012 kicked off on a high note with demand and prices maintaining an impressive pace at each auction venue.

At that time, trade sentiment was encouragingly buoyant with the widespread expectation being that the only way was up.

By mid-February, this hope had been dashed, with the can-do attitude seen a month earlier having turned to might-do’ By the end of March, many of our trade contacts were voicing their concerns over the prices they had to pay for vans that were in a lesser condition than was the case 18 months earlier.

Both buyers and vendors appreciate that the reasons for this come down to limited availability of late-year stock, and that those commercial vehicles now being de-fleeted have been worked hard over the years of recession. For both trade and retail buyers this scenario signals that such LCVs, if offered in a poorer condition, should cost them less than they had previously been paying for attractive stock. Unfortunately for them, the big fleet and leasing vendors see things differently; their reading runs along the lines that if dealers want quality, late-year stock to sell they’ll have to pay more for less.

There’s reason in both arguments yet, in a marketplace hungry for stock, the vendors currently hold the whip hand. For trade buyers, prices have risen across nearly all sectors with every indication that they will stay at these levels for the foreseeable future.

For a large part of the past two decades, while registrations rose sharply, transaction prices for new LCVs barely increased at all. On the used scene, this inevitability led to a buyer’s market with traders holding the upper hand, yet this position of strength was somewhat illusory. Although independent trade buyers had their pick of quality used vehicles at low prices, what they could charge their customers was capped by the big discounts being offered on new models.

Recently, prices for new vans and off-roaders rose markedly at a time when the shortage of late-year stock was becoming acute. Accordingly, rather than being overly concerned in respect to what LCVs currently cost, dealers must reappraise what such desirable stock could (and should) now be retailed for. Here, it’s become apparent that some trade sites adopt a very conservative view in regard to upper price point they are prepared to charge; and in so doing are under-valuing the best used LCVs.

By George Alexander, editor, Glass’s Guide to CVs

Under the hammer

R e m a r k e t i n g M a x i m i s i n g R V s


This van actually turned up at BCA for sale in this condition

Decals should be removed from vans before sale

“In a marketplace hungry for stock, the vendors currently hold the whip hand”

C a s e s t u d y B u n z l H e a l t h c a r e

ONE ACCIDENT A YEAR IS

TOO MANY


Bunzl Healthcare has cut monthly vehicle incidents to less than one per depot and reduced fuel bills by more than 7.5% . We find out how it was done

SAFED training? Check. Driver assessments? Check. Certificate of Professional Competence? Check.

Bunzl Healthcare has taken a proactive approach to occupa-tional road risk for many years, but group transport manager Mark Moore felt there was more to be done.

The company’s philosophy is that one accident a year is one too many, and while its delivery fleet has never been plagued by large numbers of collisions, the level of occupational road risk was still considered to be too high.

“Back in 2009 we were averaging 4.5 incidents a month at each of our

The safety score figure has more recently fallen to below 20 and this figure has been sustained.

Put another way, when the trial started in March 2010, Enfield was aver-aging 4.25 incidents a month.

By July the figure had fallen to 0.5.The reason for the rapid improvement? Bunzl says its drivers have

responded to the immediate feedback. They have also, as a consequence of changing their driving styles, become noticeably less stressed.

In addition, the depot transport managers are using the information they receive from GreenRoad as part of their daily driver debriefings to encourage improvements and to discuss where changes can be made.

All instances of poor driving are recorded and can be down-loaded and subsequently analysed and discussed with the driver concerned.


depots,” Moore says. By incidents, he means anything from a minor dent in a front wing to a serious collision with another vehicle.

Moore was convinced that this figure could be reduced if drivers could be continually prompted to improve their driving style.

“Drivers will usually drive sensibly when I’m accompanying them, but clearly I cannot accompany everybody everywhere all the time,” he says.

“I look at various different pieces of technology but I could find nothing that would help drivers to drive better while at the same time providing me with feedback about their performance.”

Instant feedback for driversEventually, he found a possible solution: Greenroad.

The system gives individual drivers instant and easy-to-comprehend feed-back about their driving behaviour through the use of a traffic light green-amber-red display installed in the cab.

If they corner too quickly, for example, or accelerate too harshly – practices that may result in collisions – then the display goes red. Drive smoothly and sensibly, and it goes green.

“For me this immediate feedback to the driver was the key benefit,” says Moore.

Speeding was not a big issue for the fleet. “Legislation means that many of our vehicles have speed limiters fitted,” he adds.

Insurance broker Marsh played a key role in Moore’s decision to trial the GreenRoad system.

Eager to support measures that could bring down insurance claims costs, it agreed to fund 50% of the initial expense of installing the system in 15 vehicles based at Bunzl Healthcare’s Enfield, London, depot as a pilot project.

“We felt this depot in particular had the potential to show us benefits because its vehicles operate within and around the M25 ring,” Moore says.

“Its drivers face heavily-congested roads, resulting in stressful driving conditions.”

Blind data used as a base figureBefore the onboard equipment went fully live it was used to collect several weeks of blind data to use as a base figure. The blind profile revealed a 47% incidence of red (high risk) behaviour, with the amber (medium risk) and green (low risk) percentages running at 40% and 13% respectively.

This gave the depot a safety score of 65.Subsequently the red figure shrank to 5%, while the amber and green

figures rose to 42% and 53% respectively. That gave Enfield a safety score of 26 representing a 60% risk reduction.

“Drivers are sensible when I’m with them but I just cannot

accompany them all the time ”Mark Moore, group transport manager, Bunzl Healthcare

The challenge – and the results“It’s done as part of the daily debriefing by the depot transport

manager,” says Moore.Each individual is given a safety score and encouraged to

improve his or her performance. They can access their own private website with personal reports and on-demand, self-guided training.

The data allows individual training needs to be more easily assessed and can provide invaluable information if an incident does occur.

“It has helped us manage road-related risks far more effectively and improve safety,” Moore adds.

Road traffic collisions involving Enfield-based vehicles declined from 2.2 a month during the seven months prior to GreenRoad’s system going live to 0.25 a month since. That represents an 89% improvement.

Meanwhile, the level of fuel saving at Enfield has been running at between 5% and 6% since March 2010 while outside contract charges have shrunk by at least 10%.

System rolled outThe speed and size of the overall improvement in both safety and operational economy persuaded Moore to roll the system out across Bunzl Healthcare’s entire fleet from August 2010 onwards. The programme was complete by January 2011.

Fleet-wide the average number of monthly incidents has fallen to less than one per depot and the company is enjoying a number of other valuable benefits.

“Across the fleet we have seen maintenance costs fall by 32% with key components such as tyres and brakes all lasting significantly longer, not to mention a cut in our annual £1m fuel bill of over 7.5%,” Moore states.

Smoother driving with more judicious use of the accelerator pedal means lower fuel costs and a smaller carbon footprint.

“The reaction of drivers to what we’ve done has been very positive,” he states. One benefit is that the less-frenetic driving style that they are encour-aged to adopt means that they are less-stressed when they return to their depot.

“Furthermore, it has not made it more difficult to complete the number of deliveries we make daily,” Moore says. “Our approach to routing and sched-uling has not had to change.”

Bunzl Healthcare calculates that GreenRoad’s package has delivered a return on investment in just three months.

Moore is so impressed with the results that Bunzl Healthcare is now deploying the GreenRoad service in its fleet of 49 company cars.

“GreenRoad has helped us manage road-related risks more effectively and improve safety”Mark Moore, group transport manager, Bunzl Healthcare

C a s e s t u d y B u n z l H e a l t h c a r e

Bunzl Healthcare’s 65 commercial vehicles deliver more than 20,000 products – everything from disposable scalpels to blood pressure monitors – from more than 680 suppliers to more than 3,000 healthcare organisa-tions around the UK, including hospitals, clinics and dental surgeries.

Spread across six locations nationwide, the fleet encom-passes everything from vans and 7.5- and 18-tonners to articulated lorries plated at 38 tonnes.

Drivers are periodically accompanied by managers who assess their driving and provide advice as and when appropriate.

They have undergone SAFED – Safe and Fuel Effi-cient Driving – training while those driving vehicles grossing at above 3.5 tonnes are undergoing training for the driver’s Certificate of Professional Competence.

Meanwhile, driving licences are verified using information provided by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

Company background

The challenge Although Bunzl Healthcare was taking a number of steps to reduce occupational road risk, it felt that its expo-sure remained too high.

The solution Bunzl invested in onboard technology from GreenRoad that continually monitors the conduct of drivers and provides valuable feedback to the management.

Resultsn Monthly incidents involving vehicles down to less than one per depot.

n Maintenance costs down by 32%.

n Fuel costs down by more than 7.5%.

n Return on Investment gained in no more than three months.


I n d u s t r y s p o t l i g h t F r a n c i s B l e a s d a l e , N i s s a n

“The message to readers is one of ‘practically genius’ to position Nissan as a credible range delivering innovation”

FV: You have an electric-powered NV200 due at the end of next year with rumours suggesting van and passenger carrier versions. Will you follow the Renault model and offer it by selling the van and leasing the batteries separately?FB: We announced this at the Detroit Motor Show and you will hear further announcements

Electric power on the way for Nissan NV200

Talking the language of van fleets

Fleet Van: How long have you been in the job?Francis Bleasdale: I have been with Nissan for nine years now and in my current LCV role for nearly three years.

FV: What changes have you made to Nissan’s van sales strategy in this time?FB: We have focused on four key areas:

Firstly we have put a lot of effort and focus on implementing and developing our Nissan Dealer Business Centre programme.

The objective is to support them to deliver an improved level of service and expertise to commercial vehicle operators.

Secondly we have expanded and broadened our product offering, entering new segments for Nissan such as CDV (car-derived van) with NV200, the heavy van market with NV400 [see the road test on page 38] and preparing the ground for our all-new 100% electric product based on NV200.

Next we have overhauled all our marketing and communications plans, so they have a 100% consistent look and feel.

The message to readers is one of “practically genius” to position the Nissan Commercial Vehicles as a credible range, delivering innovative and practical vehicles.

Finally we have strengthened our fleet presence in commercial vehicles, to ensure we have the right people, who can talk the language of vans and understand the needs of commercial vehicle fleets.

FV: Nissan’s van sales were up 74.42% in 2011, in a year in which Interstar was effectively on run-out. How did you manage to achieve such an astronomic sales rise?FB: I think it was the impact of the plans mentioned previously and the fact that everyone at Nissan is really committed and focused on delivering successful growth in commercial vehicles. I have been really impressed how everyone in the company has embraced and understood what is necessary to secure success.

A key factor is having one of the widest range of LCV products, delivering clear plus points for customers. For example Cabstar dominates the COE (cab over engine) 3.5-tonne truck sector and new customers really appre-ciate its huge payload and towing capability.

NV200 offers a class-leading level of loadspace and versatility in the market. In fact in January we had our highest level of share at over 6%.

Finally our dealers are recognising the opportunity to sell such a strong product offering and are investing the time and resources to make sure they are in a position to offer what commercial vehicle operators require.

FV: NV400 is now on sale. Tell us a little about it, what customer reaction has been so far and how you are planning to market this vehicle?FB: NV400 really is a very exciting new addition to our range. It takes us into new areas that we were unable to access with Interstar. For example we know can now offer RWD as well as FWD, GVW up to 4.5-tonnes, extended lengths and Chassis Cab versions.

Both the customer and dealer response has been very encouraging. I think we are very well set with this product to be able to provide a strong alterna-tive to Crafter, Sprinter and Transit.

FV: Will Nissan be attending the CV Show – and if so what will you be displaying there?FB: Yes we will be there in full. Nissan has supported the show throughout what has been a difficult economic climate for us all over the past few years.


With van sales up 74% last year and market share up in 2012 from 5.35% to 5.78%, Nissan’s star is rising. LCV sales & marketing director Francis Bleasdale tells us the secrets to his success

The show will see the launch of the chassis version NV400 and of course the other stars of our range such as NV200, Navara, Cabstar and Primastar.

FV: We think it’s fair to say that Nissan has been seen more of a retail van operation up until now. Can you really offer the kind of service the big fleet players offer?FB: Maybe fair in the past, not so now. We are working very hard to help fleet operators see that Nissan Commercial Vehicles can really deliver in terms of product, wholelife cost, support from our dealer and our fleet team out there in the field.

soon. The vehicle is based on the NV200 platform, with the powertrain, battery and onboard technology coming from the Leaf.

I think the combination of Nissan’s EV technology allied to the outstanding product strengths of NV200 (loadspace, compact footprint and load length) will make this an attractive proposition for many van operators.

Nissan has had a prototype on trial, within a very demanding working environment in London

with FedEx and the results have been excellent.

We will have further trials with leading fleets in the coming months, which we will be announcing shortly.

We have not confirmed our position with regards to battery leasing.

I think we still have the time to see what customers and operators truly want.

The recent news that the Plug in Grant is based on 20% of list price will also have an influence on our thinking.

FV: Tell us about your moves to improve your dealer network. FB: We continue to focus on improving the coverage and capability of our own Nissan business centre network. Our target is for 80% coverage of the UK business user market place. We will be shortly announcing a new and improved level of service for all our business customers, which will focus on giving them the level of service, responsiveness and coverage that van operators require.

FV: You are changing Nissan’s van line-up from rebadged Renaults to stand-alone Nissan products. When the Renault Trafic (Nissan Primastar) is replaced, will you be going down your own route for a mid-range van or will this new van continue to be a rebadged Renault? If so, why?FB: You are right in the sense that NV200 was a uniquely Nissan product. However there are still sensible reasons for platform and powertrain sharing. Today’s global economic environment has only made these reasons more compelling. It makes obvious sense for these to be explored with our Alliance partner, Renault. Primastar it is still going strong for us. It continues to be a very capable product and a class leader in terms of its driving dynamics and its refined onboard experience. However it is scheduled to be replaced in the future and when we are in a position to communicate plans for a successor, we will do so then.

FV: We know its difficult making any predictions at this time but how do you see the van market faring in the coming year? FB: I think the current climate is clearly challenging. However, everyone needs to be optimistic. We are planning for a market with relatively small growth, but Nissan will still continue to invest and grow within the commer-cial vehicle business.

n NV400, Fleet UK drive – p38

FactfileName: Francis Bleasdale

Job title: LCV sales & marketing directorBrief career history: I have spent all my working life within the automotive sector;

I have worked with the Ford retail network, in the independent aftermarket business

with Unipart and now with Nissan.Favourite film: Saving Private Ryan

Favourite book: Into Thin Air by Jon KrakauerFavourite holiday destination: Amalfi coast

– in ItalyWhat three records would you take to a

desert island? It would have to be Van Morrison, Van Halen and The Datsuns



I n t e r v i e w V o l k s w a g e n

VW takes second spot as Vauxhall slips backNew models and dedicated network send German vanmaker’s sales skywardsBy Trevor Gelken

March 2012 saw a momentous event in the history of light commercial vehicle sales – for

the first time ever, Vauxhall lost its

New variants ahead for 2012Volkswagen may not have any new models to launch in 2012 but there are a wealth of new derivatives on the way. For starters, BlueMotion fuel saving models will be available across the range and there will be other fresh versions as the year progresses:Caddy: a new Edition 30 which features a 140bhp diesel power-plant, 17in alloy wheels and other stylish goodies.Transporter: new BlueMotion model with 114bhp engine and a 19% fuel saving over the standard model.Crafter: new BlueMotion model with 11% fuel savings on offer over the standard model.Amarok: power upgrade from 163bhp to 180bhp and a new BlueMotion model.

Amarok: supply problems will be solved this year

Latest sales chart – March 2012 YTD 2012 % YTD 2011 % % change1. Ford 15,668 25.40 20,110 27.80 -22.092. Volkswagen 7,636 12.38 7,255 10.03 5.253. Vauxhall 7,112 11.53 10,278 14.21 -30.804. Citroën 5,092 8.25 5,078 7.02 0.285. Peugeot 5,056 8.20 5,461 7.55 -7.426. Mercedes-Benz 4,518 7.32 4,235 5.85 6.687. Renault 4,088 6.63 5,248 7.25 -22.10

In an exclusive interview with Fleet Van, Smith says: “What we have been aiming for – and achieving – in the past five years is steady, sensible growth. My predecessor, Simon Elliott, set out a clear direction for Volkswagen to follow and I intend to build on what he achieved. Our prod-ucts tick all the right fleet boxes and our van centres offer a fantastic service for fleet operators. These two factors put together are the reason why we have been so successful in the past five years.”

In 2007, Volkswagen enjoyed a 9% share of the UK LCV market but this figure rose to 13.2% in 2011. Caddy’s share rose from 9.5% to 21% in that period while Transporter rose from 15.5% to 18.1% and Crafter was up from 4.9% to 5.2%.

Now with the Amarok 4x4 double-cab pick-up on board too, Smith expects sales to remain healthy, even though the UK market has dropped 11% so far this year.

The Amarok was launched last year but has been troubled by prob-lems insofar as VW just can’t build enough of them to supply the world-wide demand.

Smith says: “So far this truck has been a victim of its own success. It is being built in Argentina but demand from South America and other worldwide markets has been so strong that we’ve struggled to get enough of them in the UK.”

However, from June UK vehicles will be built in Hanover, so the supply problem should be solved.

Smith sees the quality of Volkswa-gen’s products and the development of its van centre network as two hands which fit into a pair of matching gloves.

He says: “You can have a fantastic network of dealers but if the product isn’t right then you are on to a loser. Or conversely, your product could be a good but will ultimately fail if your dealer network is sub-standard.

“Our success in the UK has come about because we have top-quality products on offer and we will only choose dealers who are totally committed to our brand to open van centres.

“Staff are specially trained so that they can answer any questions that fleet buyers have.

“They will advise on anything from choosing the right vehicles to selecting the right finance option.”

At present there are 73 van centres across the UK and 27 service centres. By the end of the year Smith is hoping to increase this to 80 van centres and 45 service centres.

One possible fly in the ointment for 2013 is the imminent arrival of the new small van from Mercedes-Benz – the Citan.

At present, Mercedes doesn’t offer a small LCV and bosses have already confidently predicted in the pages of Fleet Van that they will be sitting at the No. 2 sales slot by 2016.

However, Smith is confident that the Volkswagen products are a match for anything the three-pointed star can offer.

He says: “We have the utmost confidence in our products and our dealer network. Feedback from customers on Caddy is superb – it has low running costs, it’s comfort-able and it has high residual values. In our eyes, it’s second to none.

“We’re not the cheapest and never will be – but we are in great shape and will be for the forseeable future.”

number two slot in the sales chart, to be replaced by German rival Volkswagen.

Vauxhall has been firmly ensconced in its runner-up slot behind Ford since records began so the loss of its commanding position has come as something of a shock to the industry.

But looking at Volkswagen’s sales strategy in the past five years, it’s easy to see how this meteoric rise in sales came about.

The company has quietly but steadily been hitting the UK with a double whammy – a steady succes-sion of top quality new models and the rolling out of a network of special van centres that offer fleet buyers the kind of service only dreamed of a few years ago.

Now with a new commercial vehicle director – Alex Smith – at its helm, Volkswagen is all set to consolidate its new No. 2 sales position.

Alex Smith: consolidating Volkswagen’s No2 sales slot

Revealed: new TransitC o v e r f e a t u r e N e w F o r d Tr a n s i t


It’s been the best selling van in the UK since its launch in 1965, but the next generation version of the Transit is argu-ably the most important in its

47-year history.Officially unveiled at the CV Show

in Birmingham this week – although a passenger van Tourneo ‘concept’ was shown at the Geneva Show in March – the van shown here will be known as the Transit Custom.

The reason? The van sector is increasingly segmenting into one-tonne and two-tonne vehicles, according to the company, and Ford wants to echo this trend by creating clearer differentiation between its Transit models.

Custom will, therefore, denote the one-tonners with a range including van, kombi and double-cab-in-van models – all due to go on sale by the end of the year.

Fleet Van obtained pictures of the new model, which reveal a more

stylish and streamlined look than the boxy current model.

We’ll be publishing a full report on the new Transit in the next issue.

So what do we know? What’s immediately clear is that Ford wants to transfer the ‘kinetic design’ concept of its cars to its vans.

This means creating a look that, says Ford, generates “a strong sense of movement, even when the vehicle is stationary”.

The Custom is narrower but longer than the current version which means no compromise on capacity – indeed Ford promises

“class-leading load-carrying”. The short wheelbase version will

be 4.97 metres long, while the long wheelbase model will measure 5.34 metres. Maximum load volume is six cubic metres with full bulk-head fitted, while payload options range from 600kg to 1,400kg.

Barry Gale, Ford of Europe commercial vehicles chief engineer, says: “This may be a more stylish

Transit, but it’s a more functional Transit too. The additional features we have built into the load space make everyday functions more convenient, so it’s easier for customers to do their job.”

Ford is claiming the following innovations with the Custom:n Optimised bulkhead and load-space design to enable the SWB model to carry three Euro pallets

Ford Transit 47 years of success

1965 The first Transit comes down the line at Langley

1966 Transit pushes Ford’s share of the medium commercial vehicle market from 15% to 20%

1972Transit gains disc brakes at the front for the first time. The millionth Transit is sold and production begins at the Southampton

1978Transit receives its first facelift with a streamlined and lengthened bonnet

1985 Two millionth Transit isproduced

1986 All-new Transit, code named VE6 – ‘V’ for van, ‘E’ for Europe and ‘6’ for the project number

1994 Transit updated with a number of exterior and interior changes including the distinctive Ford family oval grille

2000 First all-new Ford Transit for 10 years offers three wheel bases (short, medium and long) from one common platform

2004Five millionth Transit is produced

2005Ford creates special edition Transits to mark 40 years of success: Leader Hallmark, SilverBlue and LX Plus

‘Custom’ version targets one-tonne sector and promises major innovations

Curved lines replace the rather boxy exterior of the old Ford Transit

2012New Transit Custom is revealed at CV Show; due for launch by end of the year

loaded to at least one metre high.n Load-through hatch in bulkhead enables loads up to three metres in length to be carried.n Class-leading width between wheelarches allows loads up to eight feet by four feet to be accom-modated flat.n Deployable roof rack system integrated into the roof – when not in use, the cross bars can be folded down to reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency.n Repositioned tie-down hooks and fixing points located on the body sides which leave the floor clear for easier loading and cleaning.n Easy clean floor liner for

improved durability and cleaning.All versions of the new Transit – a

two-tonne model was tipped to be unveiled at September’s Hannover show in Germany – will be driven by the new 2.2-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel engine recently introduced into the current model.

Available in 100PS, 125PS and 155PS, this unit adds stop-start and regenerative charging for fuel effi-for fuel effi-ciency from 42.8mpg and CO2 emissions as low as 174g/km.

We also expect the 155bhp unit, currently only available in rear-wheel drive formats, to be made available in FWD versions.

The new Transit will include a raft of new technology, some of which

“2012 is a significant year for Ford as the

roll-out of a new range of

commercial vehicles begins”

of the quietest vans on the road and the engineers have been working hard to make the new model a more relaxing and quieter drive.

This includes making the platform stiffer and stronger – torsional stiff-ness has increased by as much as 37% – which will also benefit handling.

Meanwhile, suspension compo-nents and the steering system have been tuned to further improve ride comfort and handling, while the electronic stability control now features hill launch assist, trailer sway assist and torque vectoring control for enhanced traction and stability.

Another issue with the current model is the steering wheel doesn’t adjust for height and reach – this will be a feature of the new model.

In addition, the driver’s seat can be moved further backwards by 30mm to accommodate taller drivers.

Three trim levels are also being planned in a bid to capture a bigger share of the owner-driver market while not ignoring the more basic fleet needs.

Minimising cost of ownership was a key factor during the development of the new van. Ford claims mainte-nance and repair times have been reduced, while fleets will also benefit from a 12-year anti-perfora-tion warranty and the longest service intervals in class at two years/30,000 miles.

It will release final details on weights and dimensions in August, while pricing will be announced in October/November.

A spokesman said: “2012 is a significant year for Ford as the roll-out of a new range of commercial vehicles begins.”n Ford also showed the Tourneo Custom eight-seat minibus concept at the CV Show. It features an all-new interior design with driver-focused cockpit, and “a luxurious, fully trimmed cabin which has the ambience and high-quality mate-rials of a modern multi-seat saloon car”, according to the company.

will be available on a van for the first time.

This includes Sync, Ford’s in-vehicle connectivity system which can read aloud incoming messages through a text-to-speech feature and enables drivers to send a text reply by voice from a pre-determined list of responses.

Drivers connect mobile phones and music devices by Bluetooth or USB for hands-free operation.

Sync also includes Ford’s new emergency assistance feature which enables occupants to contact the emergency services in more than 30 countries through the van’s GPS locator.

The Transit has never been one

The dash is more stylish than its predecessor

Helping you drive your business forwardsAdvertisement feature

Investing in a van fleet is a big commitment. Certainly more of a commitment than most people realise. From breakdown cover and insurance to getting your vehicle taxed and ready for the road, ownership can brings hassles and headaches of its own.

At best, these can be costly and time-consuming. At worst, they can seriously affect productivity.

The good news is van rental offers an easy alternative. For a start, there’s no depreciation, maintenance or servicing to worry about.

Choose the right rental company, and you’ve got the added

peace of mind you need to respond effectively to your business’s changing vehicle demands. Just make sure they have the size, stability and financial clout to cope with the uncertainty of changing economic circumstances

Fortunately, van rental is something the world’s largest rental company, Hertz, knows a thing or two about. Little wonder. It has been helping businesses sidestep the problems of van ownership over recent years.

Organisations turn to Hertz time and time again because they know affordability, reliability, flexibility and sheer quality of service are key.

As the world’s largest rental company, Hertz has affordability, reliability, flexibility and quality of service at its heart

Hertz On Demand for business is an evolution of the service consumers have been enjoying since 2008. The name was slightly different when it first launched (Connect by Hertz), but the idea was basically the same.

“We wanted to give people greater flexibility when they rent. Sometimes people only need a vehicle for an hour or two, here or there – not a whole 24-hour period. The beauty of the Hertz On Demand service is you can rent by the hour. And our hourly rates are quite low, starting from only £4.50. It really is a pick-up and go service,” says Paul Arnold, Hertz On Demand Marketing Manager.

With the growing success of Hertz On Demand among consumers came the realisation it could be adapted for fleets.

Following intensive trials with a range of companies, technology was developed with the aim of tackling the key concerns of fleet managers.

One such technology is the Hertz On Demand automated service.

Advanced in-vehicle telematics make it easier to share vehicles by allowing businesses to see – and control – where vehicles are at any one time. It’s technology that has the power to simplify fleet management.

“Seeing where vehicles are, and are needed, at all times gives you more control. It also means you need fewer vehicles in your fleet. And there’s less admin involved in managing your fleet on a day-to-day basis. The service has truly been designed with cost savings for fleet managers in mind,” says Arnold.

Telematics installed in each car puts drivers in constant touch with a Member Care Centre, manned 24/7 by trained staff, so any problems can be nipped in the bud immediately.

A comprehensive range of vehicles are offered. But what really sets Hertz On Demand apart from others is its adaptability.

“It’s an all-round service we can tailor to the unique needs of all our customers,” says Arnold.

What is Hertz On Demand?

Helping you drive your business forwardsAdvertisement feature

As the world’s largest rental company, Hertz has affordability, reliability, flexibility and quality of service at its heartWhether you’re looking to rent for six months or six years, if

you’re looking for a long-term worry-free alternative to ownership or leasing, knowing a reliable global brand can meet your every requirement makes a massive difference.

In recent years, Hertz has been busy developing a range of long-term van hire services to really take the pain out of fleet management.

With a 5,000-strong fleet of market-leading vehicles on standby, covering everything from small vehicles for light removals to MPV’s for transporting people, they’ve fast become the go-to experts for flexible and cost-effective van rental solutions.

Hertz On Demand is giving the DIY shopping experience a complete makeover – and removing the need for a traditional delivery fleet in the process…

We’ve all been there. You spend hours – maybe weeks – looking for the perfect furniture to make your inspired interior design come alive. Then one day you finally come across the bed, sofa or bathroom cabinet of your dreams. Excellent!

Apart from one minor issue: it’s not going to fit in the car. Which means you’ll be waiting for delivery. Then you hear that dreaded phrase: three to five working days.

Wouldn’t life be easier if you could just hire a van, right there and then, for a couple of hours?

Recognising the massive advantages of short-term rental for customers, B&Q turned to Hertz to help make the dream a reality.

Now, in partnership with Hertz On Demand, a new service is allowing customers to rent vans on-site at a low cost – £14 per hour, covering insurance, tax, and 20 miles of fuel. No more worrying about how to get those big sofas or sheds home – now customers can take them back in a rented van the minute they’ve paid. And once on the road they have the full range of Hertz On Demand technologies available to them – from immediate access to a 24/7 Member

Care Centre to touch-of-a-button rental extension.

It’s a service that makes shopping even more straightforward, says Mark Frissora, chairman of Hertz: “With a Hertz On Demand van, customers can shop with ease in the knowledge they can take their large purchases directly home with them there and then. It’s another example of how short-term rentals are revolutionising the way we move.”

B&Q are delighted with the service. Marketing director Katherine Peterson says: “Hertz On Demand’s enhanced technology offerings, such as keyless entry to vans, combined with its solid reputation for reliability, means a greatly enhanced shopping experience.”

But aside from happier customers, what are the advantages for B&Q? More repeat business, yes, but most importantly it removes the need to operate a traditional delivery service. With each delivery vehicle needing an average of two full-time employees to run it, the potential cost-savings are huge. And with an overall reduction in fleet size, capital that would have otherwise been tied up in van purchases, is freed up to invest in other areas of the business.

As Hertz On Demand rolls out to all 350 of B&Qs UK stores, this could be one DIY makeover that stays on trend for a long time to come.

B&Q puts its customers into the driving seat

Email: [email protected]

Call: 0843 309 3111

www.hertz.co.uk


N e w l a u n c h F o r d R a n g e r

Workhorse with fleet appeal

Rangers were available for road and off-road routes, with 3.2-litre and 2.2-litre variants. The 3.2-litre five-cylinder is perhaps more retail focused.

Our test vehicle was fitted with optional six-speed automatic transmission (also offered on the 2.2 TDCi 150 at £1,000 excluding VAT), and the five-cylinder diesel sounds pretty gutsy, if lacking the outright pulling power of the Nissan Navara V6.

Interior materials feel more

car-like than those usually found in commercial vehicles and anyone whose fleet also includes the latest Ford cars will also recognise a few components.

The driving position (in the double-cab, at least) is a world apart from the pick-up trucks of a decade ago, with all kinds of adjustment for the seat and intui-tive instruments and controls.

It’s always going to be the case that these vehicles don’t drive at their best without some weight in the back, and on-road the Ranger does feel a little nose heavy on

undulating surfaces. However, its steering is responsive for a pick-up truck and engine refine-ment is excellent.

Few people will realise but this engine, which is also found in the Transit, is a development of a unit that used to be in the Jaguar X-type.

The Ranger is fitted with a range of clever electronics making it more capable off road than before. The first thing you notice at low speed is an anti-stall facility which allows the vehicle to continue smoothly without any

danger of the engine cutting out. It will always keep the revs just high enough to prevent stalling.

The driver can switch between two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive and low range with a simple selector behind the gearstick. Off-road settings automatically disengage the electronic stability control as braking individual wheels to cut power would be more hindrance at low speeds off the beaten track.

Hill descent control helps the Ranger maintain a low speed down steep slopes.

Ford Ranger balances ability, safety, carrying capacity and driver appeal

Behind the wheel


By Simon Harris

If ruggedness and off-road ability were top of the list of priorities for pick-up trucks, the market would

be flooded with open back versions of the Land Rover Defender.

Quite clearly, it isn’t, and the trick is to balance a number of important factors, including ability, safety, cost and carrying capacity.

In recent years it seems to have been the preserve of Japanese manufacturers, but a fight-back is under way. Volkswagen launched the very capable Amarok double-cab in 2011, and now Ford’s new Ranger has arrived on the scene.

Larger than the previous Ranger and the first commercial vehicle launched under the ‘One Ford’ global strategy, the new model will be almost identical in all markets where it’s sold. It means the versions we have in the UK will be just as tough as those found in more remote areas of the world.

All change aheadFord commercial vehicles director, Steve Clary, said: “Ranger has always been tough and capable but conceded share to Nissan, Mitsub-ishi and Toyota because it did not have the right end user appeal. It’s all about to change.”

While the range flagship is a brawny 200bhp 3.2-litre version, Ford believes its knock-out blow will be delivered by the 150bhp 2.2 TDCi.

There will also be a 125bhp work-horse version, but Ford thinks this mid-range 150bhp version with the long equipment list of one of the mid-

grades of trim will provide the best balance as a site vehicle and capable private-miler.

But it certainly isn’t all about private mileage. The Ranger will come in three cab body-styles – double, super and regular – and 4x2 and 4x4 drivetrains. A chassis-cab based on the regular body style will also be available.

Four equipment gradesThe Ranger will be available in four equipment grades, with XL as the entry-level model, and XLT, Limited and Wildtrak making up the rest of the variants.

It has already achieved a five-star Euro NCAP rating (the only pick-up truck to do so to date), and all versions come with front, side and curtain airbags with a knee airbag for the driver.

Electronic stability control is standard on all versions as well as hill launch assist (where the brakes are held for a second while shuffling between the brake pedal and accel-erator – useful when towing), trailer sway control, roll-over mitigation, emergency brake assist, load adap-tive control and emergency brake light (where the rear lights flash rapidly to indicate an emergency stop), while four-wheel drive variants also come with traction control assist and hill descent control.

Stepping up to an XLT model adds a Quickclear heated windscreen, Bluetooth and voice control plus steering wheel controls for the audio system and other functions.

At the top end of the range, there is

What’s new?n Larger than the outgoing model with three bodystylesn 125bhp/150bhp 2.2-litre and 200bhp 3.2 powerplantsn Four equipment grades

SpecificationEngine: 2.2 TDCi; 3.2 TDCiGross vehicle weight (kg): 2,925-3,200Power (bhp/rpm): 150/3,700-200/3,000Torque (lb-ft/rpm): 277/1,500-347/2,700Load length (mm): 1,560-2,317Load width (mm): 1,560 [1,139 between arches]Payload (kg): 1,090-1,340Combined fuel economy (mpg): 26.7-34.0CO2 emissions (g/km): 219-281Price (ex-VAT): £16,254-£24,279

‘Ranger always conceded to its Japanese rivals but

all this is about to change’

The new Ranger is bigger than the outgoing model

VerdictThe Amarok was always going to be a tough act to follow, given its ability and the Japanese rivals’ age. But the Ranger is up to the job, with a range of body-styles, impressive safety kit and strong performance and refinement.

a payload of up to 1,340kg, while the double-cab version also achieves a best-in-class 1,152kg payload.

And 4x4 versions have a maximum towing capacity of 3,350kg, which is also higher than key rivals, and its 800mm maximum wading depth leaves no doubt that the Ranger was designed to work hard.

Ford also points to competitive equipment lists compared with rival products as well as strong residual values helping achieve lower overall running costs.

a premium pack option on Wildtrak models, which includes integrated satellite navigation and some styling enhancements.

Best-in-class featuresFord is claiming a number of best-in-class features at the business end of the Ranger, with the longest and largest loadbox for the single cab and

The smart approach to operational efficiency and managing costs


Having the tools to monitor and manage fuel consumption, improve productivity, efficiency and customer service is a key ingredient for competitive business of all sizes operating van fleets.

Considerable bottom-line financial benefits and

returns on investment have been demonstrated by companies that have invested in TomTom fleet management technology, whether they have three or 3,000 vehicles. Telent, Matthew Algie and Serviceline offer just a flavour of the remarkable benefits that advanced fleet management solutions can deliver.

Email: [email protected]: 020 7255 9774www.tomtom.com/business

TomTom Fleet Management Solutions improve service and save money

Xpxp xpx pxp xxpx pxp xpp xxppx xp xp xxpx pxpxx xppxpxx

Matthew Algie, the UK’s leading independent coffee company, operates a team of 20 trainers, 40 engineers and 25 sales executives, who drive company vehicles to reach customers and prospects.

To help maintain its competitive edge, the company implemented a new software system to enable it to view available engineers, stock levels, road conditions and select the most suitable engineers for jobs.

Matthew Algie invested in a TomTom PRO 9100 portable solution. In addition to vehicle tracking, it includes hands-free calling support, speed camera alerts, advanced mapping with IQ routes and lane guidance support. The system has live HD traffic, helping drivers to reduce journey times, and is integrated with third party software.

Car and van fleets have realised considerable efficiencies and have

benefited from an impressive 20% increase in the number of calls made since the system was installed. Sales managers are now able to see where their team are at the touch of a button, using the WEBFLEET web-based telematics software, and can focus resources most effectively.

The management team also has access to WEBLFEET through iPhones, using the WEBFLEET iPhone app. This gives them the flexibility to monitor staff journeys and even dispatch jobs while away from the office.

Using WEBFLEET.connect API integration, the TomTom solution has been integrated with third party back office software Metrix, allowing the company to find appropriate engineers (grouped by experience, knowledge and location), review stock and road conditions, and allocate drivers jobs which are sent directly to the TomTom device.

Coffee company realises outstanding results for its sales team


Improved efficiency and reduced costs for ServicelineWith more than 100 vehicles within its fleet, refrigeration equipment service company Serviceline was looking for ways to improve its quality of service to customers, reduce costs and improve efficiency.

Serviceline implemented a TomTom solution consisting of a LINK GPS tracking unit, paired with a GO navigation devices with two-way messaging and LIVE services, including HD traffic.

The system has resulted in a number of benefits for the company’s staff, and customers. One of the key priorities for Serviceline was to utilise a navigation system with live traffic information. By doing so it has significantly decreased mileage and extended the life of its vehicles, in turn reducing the lease costs.

The solution has slashed the time taken by Serviceline’s office-based staff to allocate and send jobs to engineers. Prior to TomTom, engineers were receiving schedules via voicemail, fax or email. The TomTom solution enables staff to view the driver’s destinations, ETAs, and live traffic information, which benefits the customer by providing accurate estimated arrival times on demand.

Mark Hensley, commercial director at Serviceline, said: “We are now able to communicate job schedules using an automated system, which has saved time and money, our drivers know well in advance where they need to be, instead of awaiting a fax or email.

“The TomTom system was implemented as part of an

organisation wide cost-saving initiative. As a result we were able to achieve a consistent 18% reduction in fuel usage when fuel costs rose by up to 30%. The key areas contributing to this saving are better routing, traffic avoidance and accurate private mileage claims.

“Our engineers are delighted, as they avoid traffic delays and have accurate location details.”

The AFE Group, that owns Serviceline, has been so impressed they are now talking to TomTom about implementing it across their other companies.

Technology services company Telent operates nationwide with responsibilities for 19,000km of railway cabling from Inverness to Penzance and Norwich to Swansea.

Its teams ensure all faults are fixed and strict service level agreements (SLAs) are adhered to.

The challenge its rail business faced was knowing where appropriate team members were at all times and being able to mobilise them quickly and effectively to specific place. It also required detailed information on driver mileage to distinguish between private and business travel and enable it to allocate mileage to relevant projects.

As a consequence, its rail business implemented a Tom-Tom solution into 91 of its

vehicles. This consisted of LINK tracking units, paired with GO navigation devices incorporating two-way messaging and LIVE services, including HD traffic.

The company benefited from immediate operational improvements, most noticeably an 80% reduction in the time taken to allocate jobs to the right team, down from 75 to 15 minutes.

This has been crucial in meeting client expectations, who regularly require accurate progress updates. Clients are also able to acquire accurate ETAs and can obtain an internet login to see exactly when an engineer is going to arrive at a job using TomTom WEBFLEET.

“It has resulted in cost savings and more competitive pricing coupled with over-

achieving the strict customer service SLA’s in place with our clients,” said Lee Clinton, installations and commissioning manager.

The mileage of each driver is now tracked to provide detailed reports distinguishing between busi-ness and personal travel and

enabling Telent to monitor excessive working hours – a legal requirement.

“Drivers were working over their maximum hours more often than we thought, but we can now monitor this and plan resources more effectively,” said Stephen Pears, Telent general manager.

Operational improvements for Telent’s Rail Business

TomTom has helped Telent cut its job allocation time by 80%

A TomTom solution has enabled

Serviceline to cut fuel usage by 18%

O n t e s t F i a t D u c a t o L 3 H 2 1 3 0

Fiat’s fuel-saverA set of new, more economical Euro V engines make Fiat’s large panel van an even better fleet proposition

By Trevor Gelken

As far as I know, the van on test here – the Fiat Ducato – has never won a major award and has been largely consigned to the “also rans” category when it comes to sorting out the sheep from the goats.

But I have to admit that the Ducato – along with its twin brothers the Citroën Relay and Peugeot Boxer – have always been among my particular favourites.

Every time I am offered one of these vans on test – and there have been many occasions – my heart lifts at the thought as it really is a wonderful vehicle to drive.

But to my delight it’s not only under the bonnet that things have changed – our cab featured a smart new-look silver and black dash and a jaunty set of dual tone seats, which incidentally are some of the most comfortable and supportive in the business.

On the downside though, as with the old cab, there isn’t a coffee cup holder anywhere near the driver’s right hand. The nearest one is in the pull down desk in the back of the middle seat and you have to twist your arm round to recah it while driving.

Our test vehicle thankfully had a reversing sensor added (a must in my view for such a large vehicle) and it’s one which bleeps on the outside too, to warn passing pedestrians of my approach.

I was also grateful too see that Fiat had added ESC stability control to my van, although – as stated in a previous article – it’s a shame the manufacturer doesn’t fit it as standard as per the rivals the Ford Transit, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Volkswagen Crafter and Iveco Daily.

The new engine really is a smoothie. It fires up quietly and efficiently and as all the pedals have a nice light feel, progress in this van, with a six-speed gearbox, is powerful yet efficient.

Whether you go for the 130bhp model or the lower-powered 110bhp depends on what you want to do with the van.

For heavy duty motorway stuff I’d recommend the 130bhp unit. If you are the lcoal florist or baker, the smaller engine will suffice.

Gross vehicle weight (kg): 3,500Power (bhp/rpm): 130/3,600Torque (lb-ft/rpm): 236/1,800Load volume (cu m): 13.0Payload (kg): 1,525Comb fuel economy (mpg): 38.2CO2 emissions (g/km): 195Price (ex-VAT): £24,645

Specification

Behind the wheel

What’s new? They look fantastic, they are pretty cost-effective to run and they have admirable road manners.

While this newly-launched van may look the same from the outside, under the bonnet there is a new set of Euro V compliant engines at 2.3-litres and 3.0-litres, offering outputs from 110bhp to 180bhp. Our test vehicle is the mid-range 130bhp unit with long wheel-base and high roof.

The benefit of Euro V is not only lower CO2 emission figures but increased power, torque and fuel economy. The engine in our test vehicle is reckoned to have 8% more power than the one it replaces and 9% lower fuel consumption. There have also been a few nips an tucks in the cab with new colour combinations for the plastic parts of the dashboard, which are now more uniform and darker.

The central console has been totally redesigned. The upper central part of the dash now leaves space for an optional TomTom unit, which our test model didn’t have.

It did, however, feature the option ESC stability control at £450 with a Traction + system, which offers off-road capabilities without the hassle of a pukka four wheel drive system, plus air-con at £855 and reversing sensors at £230.

VerdictESC problem apart, this van is a sturdy fleet performer and with combinbed fuel economy of over 38mpg, there are now even more reasons to choose it. Drivers will be delighted too with such pleasing road manners

n New set of Euro V enginesn Redesigned dashboard and centre console n New colour combinations for seats

Our cab featured a smart new-look silver and black dash and a jaunty set of dual tone seats


more fuel-efficient, with a corresponding 10% drop on CO2 emissions.

The ESC stability control system – which is already standard across the range – has been upgraded to adaptive ESC, which is able to adjust itself when loads are placed in different parts of the cargo area.

There are also four airbags on offer, a new adjustable steering column, extra storage areas in the cab, better seats, an optional TomTom sat-nav unit with Blue & Me fleet management system, daytime running lights, foglights which turn with the steering wheel and a gearshift indicator.

There are now 7,000 different Daily variants on offer.

VerdictThis van is not only a stonking performer but is now graced with a very stylish front end too. We like it very much indeed and salute Iveco for making ESC a standard fitment.


F i r s t U K d r i v e I v e c o D a i l y E u r o V

A 10% cut in CO2Efficient engines, new looks and cab improvements

add to Iveco Dailys’ fleet appeal

By Trevor Gelken

You’ve probably already noticed that most of the major van manufacturers were busy updating their vehicles last year to fall in line with Euro V emissions legislation. Some of them, in addition to adding new engines, also

added a few nips and tucks.But the changes Iveco made to the Daily range go

way beyond that. This van now boasts smart new looks at the front end, a much improved cab and a set of engines that are so much more efficient that they’ll bring a smile to the face of any cost-conscious van fleet operator.

Under the bonnet is a choice of 2.3-litre and 3.0-litre powerplants. The smaller one offers power of 106bhp, 126bhp and 146bhp while the bigger one, featuring a twin turbocharger, has 146bhp, 170bhp or 205bhp.

There is also a new six-speed gearbox.Iveco reckons the new engines make the Daily 10%

We had already driven the new Daily in left-hand drive format in its home town of Turin late last year, but at a driving event at Coombe Abbey near Coventry, we finally got to drive right-hand driver British versions – and very impressed we were, too.

The Daily has always been one of my personal favourites because it is rougher and tougher than the average 3.5-tonne panel van, with a proper ladder-frame chassis, and I always feel like a truck driver rather than a van driver when I’m behind the wheel.

I love the new front-end of the Daily, while Iveco has added some innovative touches: a mass of plastic padding circumferences the bottom to stop that lovely paintwork getting damaged in the event of a minor accident.

I was pleased to see extra storage spaces under the passenger seat and overhead.

And with room for seven workmen, I was surprised to see how much legroom there was even for rear seat passengers, and this model featured the optional airsprung seat.

If you are going to use this vehicle regularly for long journeys, it’s an option well worth thinking about because this seat really is a dream.

The engine fired up in a cool, calm way and on the road, my co-pilot and I could talk in hushed tones, which is something you couldn’t do in older Daily models.

Gear changes are slick, power steering not too light and not too heavy and with that adaptive electronic stability control system on board, I couldn’t imagine a safer place to be on the roads.

There was certainly no lack of power, even up the hills with a half-load of sand in the back.

Gross vehicle weight (kg): 3,500-7,000Power (bhp/rpm): 106/3,900-205/3,500Torque (lb-ft/rpm): 199/1,500-346/1,400Load volume (cu m): 7.0-17.2Payload (kg): 1,170-4,660Comb fuel economy (mpg): 32.65-36.50CO2 emissions (g/km): 202-229Prices (ex-VAT): £24,390-£32,590

Specification

Behind the wheel

What’s new?n Fresh 2.3 and 3.0-litre enginesn New six-speed gearbox n Adaptive ESC as standard across the range

Iveco has upgraded the cab with more staorage space in addition to adding new Euro V engines

“Iveco reckons the new engines make the Daily 10% more fuel-efficient”

F i r s t U K d r i v e N i s s a n N V 4 0 0

Strong contender, not without flawsThe NV400 takes over from the Interstar as the Japanese

maker’s new heavy panel van contender

By Trevor Gelken

If you are a regular reader of Fleet Van you’ll prob-ably already be well aware of the attributes of Nissan’s new heavy panel van the NV400.

Nissan’s van sales rocketed by 74% in 2011 and with this new van, the Japanese firm aims to

make its presence felt even more in the UK fleet market in 2012 (see the interview on page 24).

Nissan has benefited from its alliance with Renault – most of its vans have traditionally been re-badged versions from its parent company. But in recent years it has attempted to create an individual brand identity.

The NV200 was an in-house development and, while the NV400 shares platform and powertrain with the Renault Master, Nissan has wrapped the shell in its own style: it’s had the Nissan treatment.

The NV400’s ‘face’ was created at Nissan Design Europe (NDE) in Paddington and engineered by Nissan in Bedfordshire. It gives the van a distinctive look.

For the first time, both front and rear-wheel drive versions are available and gross vehicle weights go up to 4.5 tonnes.

There are three wheelbases and three roof heights and the usual dazzling array of optional body versions. Load volumes go from 8.0 cubic metres to 17.0 cubic metres while payloads range from 994kg to 2,254kg.

Two grades are on offered – E and SE. The lower grade has ABS brakes with EBD, driver airbag and

We’d already driven the NV400 in Marbella, but great left-hand drive versions don’t always translate into brilliant right hookers, a bit like French wine turning sour on its trip across the briney.

However, in this case the NV400 is just as good here as it is there – and I must say we all really did take a shine to Nissan’s latest during our test week.

It’s hats off to the designers who have crafted this new front end – and it stands out as a better looking van than its twin brothers the Renault Master and Vauxhall Movano in our eyes.

In the cab, the seats are big, supportive and comfortable and we like the fact that this vehicle feels like a big van, with the steering wheel large and angled. Some other manufacturers have tried to make their panel vans feel like big cars but we prefer a ‘chunkier’ driving experience.

We really like the TomTom unit that’s built in to the roof of the cab and means you don’t have to look down to see it. However, we did note that on the Renault Master this unit is given away free. We also like the fact that a rear parking sensor is standard.

However, it’s disappointing to see that as with Renault and Vauxhall, ESC isn’t a standard fitment across the range – you only get it on SE models here.

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Volkswagen Crafter, Iveco Daily and Ford Transit manage to give it away free, so we don’t see why Nissan shouldn’t too.

The power unit is a Renault one which you’ll find in all sorts of cars and vans on the roads nowadays and is rock solid and reliable. It fires quietly and smoothly and gives plenty of oomph when needed.

Gross vehicle weight (kg): 3,500Power (bhp/rpm) 125/3,500Torque (lb-ft/rpm): 228/1,250-2,500Load volume (cu m): 10.8Payload (kg): 1,620Comb fuel economy (mpg): 34.45CO2 emissions (g/km): 218Price as tested (£ ex-VAT): £25,745

Specification

Behind the wheel

What’s new?

power windows while SE adds electronic stability control, remote central locking, rear parking sensors and power mirrors.

Under the bonnet goes a brand new 2.3-litre Euro V compliant common rail diesel powerplant to replace the old Interstar’s 2.5-litre engine, offering 100bhp, 125bhp and 150bhp.

Our test model is the mid-range 125bhp version, which weighs in at £23,690 ex-VAT. It’s front-wheel drive and in medium wheelbase, medium roof format.

In SE spec, standard features include ESC and rear parking sensors and as extras chose given metallic paint at £350, together with a natty built-in TomTom sat-nav unit at £650.

n New Euro V-compliant set of enginesn Fresh front end designed in the UK n Gross vehicle weights up to 4.5 tonnes

The cab of the NV400 doubles up as a handy office, complete with fold-out desk and laptop holder


VerdictWith vehicles like this on offer, Nissan can only add to its fleet credentials. The entry model gets the thumbs-down, though, due to that lack of standard ESC.

The Fleet News Reader Recommended programme is now in its third year. Once again, fleets have been voting for their top suppliers across key industry segments.

A business may have excellent products, but ultimately referrals and recommendations are given as a result of outstanding customer service.

Reader Recommended allows fleets to have their say about the companies they believe offer the best service. We have received hundreds of opinions via an extensive

research programme conducted among our readers.The fleet business sectors highlighted in Fleet Van for 2012

are telematics, fleet management software, and contract hire and leasing.

Details of the companies recommended by Fleet News readers in each of those three fleet sectors are covered over the next few pages.

To find out who is recommended in all nine categories, go to www.fleetnews.co.uk/suppliers/recommended/

FLEET NEWS READER RECOMMENDED

Fleet News readers recommend their top suppliers

As one of the most experienced providers of commercial vehicles to both private and public sector organisations, our business is built on years of providing the best solutions for our customers.

Our support services cover everything from funding and vehicle specification advice to LOLER management, livery, equipment testing and mobile servicing. Our specialist team can advise you on coachwork, internal linings and complete bodybuilding projects. Working closely with a number of partner conversion companies, we ensure that even the most complex fleet mix is delivered on time and to the right specification.

We can provide you with a complete fleet management solution, covering all commercial vehicles from car derived vans through to 7.5 tonne trucks. We understand the importance of selecting the right vehicle for the job but our service doesn’t stop at the initial choice of vehicle. Our highly experienced team can guide you through the complex process of specification, preparation, maintenance and disposal – ensuring the best advice every step of the way.

Delivering on our promises every day

Supporting your commercial vehicle requirements

Fifteen years ago, Alphabet was founded on a simple premise. Actions speak louder than words. As someone once said: “You cannot build a reputation on what you

are going to do.” We win people’s business and respect the hard way, by

really understanding what they need and then delivering it every day, with enthusiasm and a close eye on all the little details that make a difference.

That hasn’t changed one bit. One customer recently described her account executive at Alphabet as “a great source of support, knowledge and kindness.”

Another customer wrote: “I can’t believe that there is anyone else in the industry with more passion, who listens to the needs of the customer, and who doesn’t stop till those needs are fulfilled completely.”

We are delighted that Fleet News readers have recognised Alphabet in the Contract Hire and Leasing category in this year’s Reader Recommended list.

It’s fantastic that our customer focused ethos and the efforts of our people are so clearly appreciated by the Fleet News readership – people who live and breathe professional fleet management. We’re intensely proud of our staff and the great work they do for our customers.

It’s especially significant to earn this recognition in 2012, with Alphabet now established in the top echelon of UK leasing providers following last year’s acquisition of ING Car Lease.

The merger of Alphabet and ING Car Lease creates a business that brings expertise and support to both fleet and transport managers in the private and public sectors. With over 12,000 commercial vehicles on our fleet, we support our customers with a team focused soley on commercial vehicles.

It’s a major plus to work with a company like Alphabet. We offer you experience, marketplace influence, cutting-edge solutions and a comprehensive range of services for companies of all sizes and in every sector.

As we enter a major new phase of our development we are continuing to build innovative products and add to our LCV offering with an exciting new service launching this year which will improve the efficiency of your LCV fleet.

But our service promise remains the same, and is as strong, as ever.

Tel 0870 50 50 100website: www.alphabet.co.uk

mail to:[email protected]

Contract hire and leasing

Reader quotes...

“Good customer service, proactive, willing and helpful staff”“Great communication”


Little more than a year ago, Quartix entered the pay as you drive insurance market, securing a major contract to supply online insurer Coverbox with 15,000 vehicle tracking systems, amounting to some 1200 units a month.

Since then the company has secured contracts to provide similar systems for two of the UK’s largest motor insurance brokers.

Now, the same telematics technology is set to reduce the cost of fleet-based insurance – allowing fleets to pay only for mileage covered, providing lower premiums for better driving styles, and helping fleet managers decide at an earlier stage which drivers might pose a higher risk.

“In the case of retail insurance an individual driver’s profile governs premium costs,” said Andy Kirk. “With transport fleets a single premium is charged, the amount determined by different drivers’ risk profiles. By selecting safe drivers, fleet managers are in a position to cut costs quite dramatically.”

As a result of recent successes, Quartix will have a dominant position in the UK market for telematics-based insurance.

Meanwhile, having developed a version of its tracking system for the French market, Quartix is rapidly expanding across France. In its first full year the company has attracted more than 180 new customers there, and forecasts considerably more growth over the coming 12 months.

Quartix voted vehicle tracking specialist for fourth year running

Telematics insurance growthFor an unprecedented fourth year running Fleet News readers have recommended Quartix as a top telematics provider. “This is a huge vote of confidence in Quartix, its

products and services,” said Andy Kirk, sales and marketing director.

“It is also testimony to the dedication, commitment and hard work of our entire team who, year after year, keep Quartix at the forefront of telematics development, provision and service.”

Last year, despite weak economic conditions, the company achieved outstanding results, increasing turnover by 46% and new tracking system installations by 125%.

This was achieved through transparent pricing, a comprehensive range of rental and outright purchase options, and the introduction of innovative, cost-saving services – including driver behaviour monitoring.

This service, which is capable of saving fleet operators as much as £20,000 a year on a fleet of 20 vehicles, detects speeds, harsh braking and acceleration.

“Twelve months ago driver behaviour monitoring was relatively new, but now most fleet operators request it. The price of fuel is one of the main reasons,” said Kirk.

Last year also saw Quartix make significant investment in research, design and development, with a new version of its renowned tracking system – including additional ‘black box’ technology for accident investigations – launched in January.

Kirk explained: “Unlike most of our competitors, who buy in their black boxes, we design and develop all our own technology – so we are not beholden to outside suppliers. In fact, we design and develop all aspects of our system, which means we are always in a position to maintain our leading edge position.”

No less than 50% of all Quartix orders are the result of referrals or repeat business.

“Our customers appreciate we strive hard to achieve the highest possible standards and they are aware Quartix is a name synonymous with the highest levels of quality and service,” added Kirk.

This is underlined by the fact more than 3,500 customers across a wide range of sectors – including government organisations, housing associations, construction firms, hospital trusts, the emergency services, SMEs and large British brands – currently use Quartix online vehicle tracking, with the company installing its system in more than 2,000 vehicles a month.

For pricing and a brochure call 0870 013 6663 or go to www.quartix.net

Reader quotes...

“Great professionalism and response times to queries”“They tick all the boxes”


Online: the Quartix system tracks a fleet’s every vehicle 24/7

Telematics

South Central Ambulance is just one of the many Jaama customers who have achieved the accreditation.

Rick Stillman, Head of Fleet for SCAS, said: ’The Key2 management system was the best fit of all the systems we looked at against our operational and technical requirements. It has given us the tools to proactively measure and manage our entire fleet operation, streamline our processes, become more efficient and save time and money’.

SCAS operates a fleet of almost 1,000 vehicles, including lease cars, rapid response cars/motorcycles, ambulances and patient transport vehicles. In addition, SCAS runs a total of five workshops and a vehicle commissioning unit, which is responsible for adding specialist equipment to vehicles.

Jaama assist van operating customers achieve Van Excellence

Key2 system ‘best fit’ for SCAS

Jaama’s continual development of their established online Key2 Vehicle Management system has resulted in them being awarded Fleet Van Reader Recommended for the

fourth year in succession. The award follows Jaama winning the coveted ITM Fleet Software Company of the Year 2012 award and also being a finalist for the Fleet Supplier of the Year Award in the industry’s annual ‘Oscars’ from Fleet Van’s sister publication Fleet News.

Jaama’s fleet management software is helping some of Britain’s largest van fleet operators meet the very highest standards of compliance and operational excellence as set out by the FTA.

Managed by the Freight Transport Association, Van Excellence is designed to enhance standards of van operator compliance, celebrates operators who demonstrate excellence and represent the interests of the van industry.

Jaama customers who have achieved the FTA Van Excellence Code accreditation include Amey, DHL International (UK), Enterprise Managed Services, Norse Commercial Services and South Central Ambulance Trust.

Jaama sales director Martin Evans explained that operator fundamentals such as legislative compliance and increased safety for drivers and other road users can be better achieved if companies have introduced sophisticated cutting-edge fleet management systems such as Key2.

Evans said: “Our technology enables companies to capture more information than ever before on their fleet enabling them to be far more proactive and analytical. Companies having key information at their fingertips can improve operating efficiencies which ultimately reduces costs and ensures legal compliance. We are finding that an increasing number of our customers are recommending Key2 to their peers because of it’s the powerful compliance and reporting capabilities.

“The FTA Code aims to provide mandatory and audited parameters for all aspects of van operations including key areas such as driver behaviour, vehicle safety/maintenance and risk assessed operating methods. However, that can only be achieved if LCV fleets are collecting, measuring and interpreting vehicle and driver data.

Evans said: “It is almost certain that an issue raised by one fleet will also be causing consternation for others. Therefore, we pride ourselves on working with operators to deliver solutions that will eliminate issues and thereby continue to raise van operating standards in the spirit of the ‘Van Excellence’ scheme.”

“Numerous LCV fleets, including those that have achieved Van Excellence Accreditation have recognised that Key2 is the

Email: [email protected]: jaama.co.uk Call: 0844 8484 333

Reader quotes...

“Flexibility and functionality”“Good service for many years”


Fleet software

solution and delivers a significant return on investment.”Department for Transport data reveals there are 34.4 million

licenced vehicles on the UK’s roads of which almost 3.3 million are vans – an increase of almost one million light commercial vehicles since the turn of the century. Almost 50% of those vans (1.6 million) are operated by public and private sector fleets with the remainder owned privately and run by sole traders and small businesses.

M o d e l u p d a t e W h a t ’ s n e w i n 2 0 1 2


Better economy for Fiestavan EconeticFord has launched a new Fiestavan version that offers fuel economy of 85 miles per gallon and CO2 emissions of 87g/km.

The improved efficiency, boosting the environmental performance of the Fiesta and FiestaVan featuring ECOnetic Technology by more than 12%, has been achieved through the introduction of auto-start-stop, upgrades to the 95bhp 1.6TDCi engine, including friction and combustion improvements and calibration optimisation, revised gear ratios, smart regenerative charging, an ecomode and improved efficiency of the air conditioning, cooling fan and alternator. The Fiestavan Econetic starts at £12,215 ex-VAT.

Fiat launches new TecnicoFiat has launched a new special series Ducato called the Tecnico. It is based on the Ducato 35 2.3-litre 130 MultiJet LWB HR (L3H2), but offers a number of additional features as standard equipment that are normally available as extra cost options.

In addition to the normal standard specification, the Tecnico adds manual air-conditioning, front foglights, Blue&Me with controls on the steering wheel, eco:Drive Professional software, TomTom predisposition on the dashboard, TomTom Live navigator, Start&Stop, special wheel trims and reverse parking sensors.

The promotional price is £16,995 OTR ex-VAT and provides customers with a 26% price advantage when compared to the normal price for the standard specification version.

Isuzu reveals D-Max specIsuzu has released the first pictures of its new D-Max 4x4 truck, together with prices and specification.

There is an entry level 4x2, an Eiger double-cab and range-topping Utah, with prices going from £14,499 to £21,499 ex-VAT.

The D-Max is powered by a 2.5-litre twin-turbo common-rail diesel engine, available with newly-developed six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmissions. The Euro V-compliant unit generates 163bhp and peak torque of 295lb-ft at 1,400rpm.

The truck also introduces a new ‘shift-on-the-fly’ system, allowing the driver to adjust between two- and four-wheel drive modes while travelling at speeds of up to 60mph.

Return of the iconic MinivanThe Minivan, beloved by drivers and operators in the 1960s, is set to return to UK shores later this year.

Designed to appeal to small businesses, the Mini Clubvan is the latest concept from the Mini brand. The design is based on the Mini Clubman, with the front two seats taking on the trademark interior.

The load compartment is separated by a fixed partition grille with two side-hinged rear doors.

Don’t miss out on essential running costs fi guresDon’t miss out on essential running costs fi gures

Fleet Van 27

Running CostsTo view the full database, go to

www.fleetnews.co.uk/fleetvan

List price

Depreciation cost (Depr)

Maintenance and repair GVW

CITROEN

RUNNING COSTS (INC FUEL) 48 months/ 80,000 miles

List Power Torque Load length Load width Load height Load vol Gvw Payload Tow wt (br) MPG CO2

(£) (bhp) (lb-ft) (mm) (mm) (mm) (cu m) (kg) (kg) (kg) (comb) (g/km))

depr smr total

Nemo1.3HDi DPF SS 75 €5 Enterprise Van 11. 12627 75 140.14 1.52 1.47 1.2 2.5 1750 660 1000 65.7 109 16 3.06 28.68

1.4i 75 €5 X SLD Van 10047 75 - 1.52 1.47 1.2 2.5 1680 610 600 44.1 148 12.82 2.09 28.63

1.4i 75 €5 X Van 9827 75 - 1.52 1.47 1.2 2.5 1680 610 600 44.1 148 12.58 2.09 28.39

Berlingo625Kg L1 625Kg L1 1.6HDi 75 Enterprise Van 13677 75 136 1.8 1.5 1.25 3.3 1980 626 975 49.6 147 16.95 2.62 32.31

625Kg L1 625Kg L1 1.6HDi 75 Enterprise Van 13677 75 136 1.8 1.5 1.25 3.3 1980 626 975 49.6 147 16.77 2.62 32.13

850Kg L1 850Kg L1 1.6HDi 90 X SLD Van 13397 90 133 1.8 1.5 1.25 3.3 2185 849 950 50.4 149 16.47 2.62 31.63

850Kg L1 850Kg L1 1.6HDi 90 X Van 13177 90 132 1.8 1.62 1.25 3.3 2185 849 950 50.4 149 16.42 2.62 31.58

850Kg L1 850Kg L1 1.6HDi 90 X Van 13177 90 133 1.8 1.62 1.25 3.3 2185 849 950 50.4 149 16.24 2.62 31.4

DispatchL1 1000 L1 1000 1.6HDi 90 Enterprise Van 17404 90 158 2.25 1.6 1.44 5 2661 988 1672 39.2 191 22.08 2.84 41.04

L1 1000 L1 1000 1.6HDi 90 Tradesman Van 17189 90 158 2.25 1.6 1.44 5 2661 988 1672 39.2 191 21.85 2.84 40.81

L1 1000 L1 1000 1.6HDi 90 Van 16524 90 158 2.25 1.6 1.44 5 2661 988 1672 39.2 191 20.97 2.84 39.93

L2 1200 L2 1200 2.0HDi 120 Van 6Spd 18574 120 221 2.58 1.6 1.44 6 2932 1188 1968 38.2 196 23.24 2.69 42.47

L2 1200 L2 1200 2.0HDi 120 Van High Roof 6Spd 19074 120 221 2.58 1.6 1.75 7 2963 1188 1937 37.2 200 23.86 2.69 43.54

RelayL1 30 L1 2.2HDi 100 Van 18560 100 184 2.67 1.87 1.66 8 3000 1155 2000 35.8 208 24.62 4.06 46.33

L2 30 L2 2.2HDi 100 Van 19360 100 184 3.12 1.87 1.66 10 3000 1115 2000 34.9 214 25.57 4.06 47.74

L1 33 L1 2.2HDi 100 Van 20360 100 184 2.67 1.87 1.66 8 3300 1455 2000 35.8 208 26.98 4.06 48.69

L1 33 L1 2.2HDi 120 Van 6Spd 21160 120 236 2.67 1.87 1.66 8 3300 1440 2500 32.1 232 28.02 4.22 51.93

L2 33 L2 2.2HDi 100 Van High Roof 21960 100 184 3.12 1.87 1.93 11.5 3300 1390 2000 35.8 208 29 4.06 50.71

L2 35 L2 2.2HDi 120 Van 6Spd 22760 120 236 3.12 1.87 1.66 10 3500 1600 2000 32.1 232 30.02 4.22 53.93

L2 35 L2 2.2HDi 120 Van High Roof 6Spd 23560 120 236 3.12 1.87 1.93 11.5 3500 1575 2500 32.1 232 31.09 4.22 55

L3 35 L3 2.2HDi 120 Van High Roof 6Spd 24360 120 236 3.7 1.87 1.93 13 3500 1525 2500 32.1 232 32.2 4.22 56.11

L3 35 L3 3.0HDi 160 Van High Roof 6Spd 25710 160 295 3.7 1.87 1.93 13 3500 1475 2500 31 241 33.91 4.88 59.18

FIAT

FiorinoCargo 1.3Multijet 75 Adventure Van 11926 75 103 1.52 1.47 1.2 2.5 1700 610 0 61.4 123 15.3 3.31 28.9

Cargo 1.3Multijet 75 SX Van 11366 75 - 1.52 1.47 1.2 2.5 1700 610 0 62.8 119 14.49 3.12 27.67

Cargo 1.3Multijet 75 Van 10816 75 - 1.52 1.47 1.2 2.5 1700 610 0 62.8 119 13.82 3.12 27

Cargo 1.3Multijet DPF SS 95 €5 Adventure Van 12916 95 147 1.52 1.47 1.2 2.5 1700 610 0 65.7 113 16.53 3.06 29.21

Cargo 1.3Multijet DPF SS 95 €5 SX Van 12366 95 148 1.52 1.47 1.2 2.5 1700 445 0 65.7 113 15.61 3.06 28.29

Cargo 1.3Multijet DPF SS 95 €5 Van 11466 95 148 1.52 1.47 1.2 2.5 1700 610 0 65.7 113 14.42 3.06 27.1

DobloCargo 1.4 16V 95 SX Van 12516 95 - 1.82 1.71 1.3 3.4 - 750 0 39.2 169 16.81 3.03 35.27

Cargo 1.4 16V 95 SX Van High Roof 13041 95 - 1.82 1.71 1.55 4 - 750 0 38.7 173 17.56 3.03 36.22

Cargo 1.4 16V 95 Van 11916 95 - 1.82 1.71 1.3 3.4 - 750 0 39.2 169 16.03 3.03 34.49

Cargo 1.4 16V 95 Van High Roof 12441 95 - 1.82 1.71 1.55 4 - 750 0 38.7 173 16.79 3.03 35.45

Grande Punto 1.3Multijet 75 Actual 10516 75 140 1.2 1.03 0.93 1 1650 520 1000 62.8 119 13.78 3 26.84

1.3Multijet DPF 75 €5 Actual 11116 75 140 1.2 1.03 0.93 1 1695 485 1000 68.9 108 14.64 3 26.81

ScudoL1 10Q L1 10Q 1.6Multijet 90 Business Van 15816 90 132 2.25 1.6 1.44 5 2661 1000 1672 39.2 191 20.35 3.56 40.03

L1 10Q L1 10Q 1.6Multijet 90 Comfort Van 16166 90 132 2.25 1.6 1.44 5 2661 1000 1672 39.2 191 20.91 3.56 40.59

L1 12Q L1 12Q 2.0Multijet 120 Comfort Van 6Spd 17516 120 221 2.25 1.6 1.44 5 2902 1200 2000 39.2 194 22.59 3.72 42.43



L2 12Q L2 12Q 2.0Multijet DPF 163 €5 Comfort Van 6Spd 20116 163 - 2.58 1.6 1.44 6 2946 1200 2000 40.9 181 25.92 3.91 45.28

DucatoMWB 30 MWB 2.2Multijet 100 Dropside 18907 100 184 3.24 2.03 - - 3000 1160 2000 34.9 214 24.8 3.84 46.75

MWB 30 MWB 2.2Multijet 100 Van 19216 100 184 3.12 1.87 1.66 10 3000 1115 2000 34.9 214 25.36 3.62 47.09

MWB 30 MWB 2.3Multijet 120 Van High Roof 6Spd 21416 120 236 3.12 1.87 1.93 11.5 3000 1075 2500 35.3 212 28.25 3.56 49.71

SWB 30 SWB 2.2Multijet 100 Van 18316 100 184 2.67 1.87 1.66 8 3000 1155 2000 35.8 208 24.29 3.62 45.56

LWB 35 LWB 3.0Multijet 160 Van Extra High Roof 6Spd 27116 160 295 3.7 1.87 2.17 17 3500 1360 2500 30.4 246 36.05 3.81 60.65

LWB 35 LWB 3.0Multijet 160 Van High Roof 6Spd 26316 160 295 3.7 1.87 1.93 13 3500 1475 2500 31 241 34.94 3.81 59.14

LWB 35 LWB 3.0Multijet 160 Van High Roof CMatic Auto6 27500 160 295 3.7 1.87 1.93 13 3500 1475 2500 31.4 237 36.66 3.81 60.6

FORD

Fiesta 1.25 82 €5

10975 82 84 1.29 - 0.8 1.0 1490 507 600 49.6 133 13.9 2.44 28.54

1.4TDCi DPF 70 €5 11725 70 118 1.29 - 0.8 1.0 1535 513 750 67.3 110 14.68 2.31 26.38

Transit Connect 200 SWB 1.8TDCi 110 Limited 15775 110 184.4 1.73 1.49 1.19 2.8 2040 638 - 47.1 159 19.7 2.66 35.78

200 SWB 1.8TDCi 110 Trend 15175 110 184.4 1.73 1.49 1.19 2.8 2040 638 - 47.1 159 18.98 2.66 35.06

LWB 230 LWB 1.8TDCi 90 Van High Roof 15225 90 162.27 1.98 1.49 1.36 3.7 2340 902 - 46.3 162 18.93 2.66 35.24

Transit260 SWB FWD 2.2TDCi 115 Crew Van 6Spd 19985 115 221.28 1.65 1.76 1.43 4.2 2600 784 - 34.9 213 24.76 3.75 46.62

260 SWB FWD 2.2TDCi 115 Crew Van Medium Roof 6Spd 20235 115 221.28 1.65 1.76 1.74 5.2 2600 759 - 34.9 213 25.04 3.75 46.9

260 SWB FWD 2.2TDCi 115 Limited Van 6Spd 20485 115 221.28 2.58 1.76 1.43 5.62 2600 892 - 34.9 213 25.54 3.75 47.4

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Untitled-3 1 10/4/12 17:20:02

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Fleet Van April 2012